Jeonju film fest opens 26th edition

Korea Herald

01-05-2025

10-day cinema showcase in Jeonju features 80 world premieres
JEONJU, North Jeolla Province — The Jeonju International Film Festival kicked off its 26th edition Wednesday, with 224 films from 57 countries scheduled to screen across multiple venues in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, during its 10-day run through May 9.
The festival's opening ceremony at the Sori Arts Center drew film enthusiasts who filled the venue hours before the event. The red carpet welcomed an array of film professionals, including actor Lee Jung-hyun, who is the festival's "programmer of the year," former Wonder Girls member-turned-actor Ahn So-hee and director Bae Chang-ho, known for his 1987 hit romance "Our Joyful Young Days."
Actors Kim Shin-rock and Seo Hyun-woo, who have both previously appeared in films screened at the festival, hosted the ceremony. In their welcoming remarks, executive committee co-directors Min Sung-wook and Jung Jun-ho spoke about the festival's focus on independent cinema and experimental approaches.
The festival presented a posthumous special achievement award to screenwriter Song Gil-han, a Jeonju native who died in December. His son, Song Geun-su, accepted the award and became visibly emotional as he shared memories of his late father.
"When my father was on his deathbed with occasional bouts of delirium, he often thought of the hospital room as Jeonju, and everything he said was related to film," the Song said. "If he were here today, he'd tell everyone to keep their heads up and press on."
Following organizing committee chair and Jeonju Mayor Woo Beom-ki's official declaration opening the festival, singer-actor Kim Pureum, who stars in two films screening at the festival — "Save" and "Clear"— delivered the opening performance.
Ahead of the evening's opening ceremony, festival organizers held a special press screening of the opening film, Romanian director Radu Jude's "Kontinental '25," followed by a press conference with the film's lead actors.
Set in Cluj, Romania, the smartphone-shot drama follows a bailiff experiencing a moral crisis in the aftermath of a homeless man's death upon being forced out of a shelter. The film won the Silver Bear for best screenplay at February's Berlin International Film Festival.
"'Kontinental '25' is a bold film shot on smartphone that reflects what kinds of images suit our era," co-director Min Sung-wook said during the postscreening press conference. "We're pleased to introduce it as an alternative film freed from constraints typically imposed on large-scale productions, which aligns with Jeonju IFF's identity of seeking alternatives since its inception."
The film's lead actor Eszter Tompa, who plays an ethnic Hungarian bailiff in Romania, described working with Jude as "a wonderful experience."
"We had a long preparation meeting online since we live in different cities," Tompa said during the press conference. "After preparation, the shooting was very short — about 12 days, very fast. He knows exactly what he wants."
The press conference touched on the ethnic tensions that form a key theme in the film, with a Hungarian journalist asking about Romanian-Hungarian relations. Tompa, who is Hungarian and divides her time between Berlin and Cluj, responded by noting recent political developments.
"After we finished shooting, there have been elections and the extreme right is rising in Romania now," she said. "The film is not exaggerating, and it's really severe what's happening. The far right is rising in the whole of Europe."
Eighty films will make their world premieres at Jeonju. A special section titled "Again, Towards Democracy" will present six documentaries examining the erosion of democratic institutions and governance worldwide, offering reflections on contemporary political challenges.
The festival concludes May 9 with the documentary "In the Land of Machines," from director Kim Ok-young, which follows three Nepali migrant workers in South Korea.