Bang Eun-jin (방은진)

In Jeonju, spring brings wonderful films

2008/04/19 | Source | Permalink |

By Nigel D'Sa
Contributing Writer

The 9th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) is nearing, and an impressive line-up of films has been announced for this year's event.

Set in its picturesque namesake city in Jeollabuk-do (province), JIFF runs May 1-9, bringing together innovative and independent films and filmmakers from around the world.

This year's program boasts a record total of 169 films with opening night going to Manda Kunitoshi's The Kiss in its International Premiere.

Japanese writer-turned-director Manda has already gained notice and won prizes at Cannes for his previous films, making this latest work highly anticipated.

JIFF's curtain-closer will be the Korean omnibus film "If You Were Me 4", produced by the National Human Rights Commission.

Each film in the series has a human rights issue as its theme with past concerns ranging from discrimination to forced surgery and bringing together a group of talented directors.

This year's project fe...| More

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Korean Films Premiering at 9th JIFF

2008/04/16 | Source | Permalink |

Ten Korean features will have their World Premiere at the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) this spring. Now in it's 9th edition the festival will run May 1st – 9th in the attractive and historical city of Jeonju, in North Jeolla province.

Korean highlights include documentary director KIM Dong-won's latest, "63 Years On", about the 'comfort women' enslaved by the Japanese military in stations across Asia during WW2. The film provides an historical investigation along with interviews with victims still living in Korea, China, and the Philippines. KIM is best known for his 2003 film Repatriation which raised the documentary genre to commercial prominence in South Korea.

In the Korean Cinema on the Move section, presents 10 new independent features mostly by debut directors. Among the most interesting are "Synching Blue" by SEO Won-tae, a director whose shorts films have garnered praise for their visual arrangements. This HD feature is about a man who seeks comfort i...| More

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9th JIFF Announces Stellar Line-up

2008/04/09 | Source | Permalink |

The 9th edition of the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), second only to Pusan among Korea's top movie-going events, will take place May 1 – 9, 2008 in its picturesque namesake city, in North Jeolla province. At a press conference held in Seoul last week, JIFF announced an impressive line-up of 169 films.

Festival opener will be MANDA Kunitoshi's The Kiss in its International Premiere. Japanese writer-turned-director MANDA has already gained notice and won prizes at Cannes for his previous films, making his latest work highly anticipated.

Korean anthology film If You Were Me 4 will close the festival, this time featuring five shorts on the theme of contemporary Korean youth. Rising Korean directors including BANG Eun-jin ("Princess Aurora"), KIM Tae-yong ("Family Ties" - "The Birth of a Family"), and YOON Seong-ho ("Milky Way Liberation Front") participated.

JIFF has renamed its 'Indie Vision' section the 'International Competition' section, raising its profile...| More

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Festival Fetes the Indie and Experimental

2006/04/19 | Source | Permalink |

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

The 7th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will take place from April 27 to May 5 in Chonju, North Cholla Province.

With its main focus on innovative and experimental films through digital media, a range of alternative and independent films will be screened for its nine-day run in the southern part of the nation.

"We'll show movies that maximize the potential of digital media, creativity and experimentalism as we have intended since the launch of the festival", Jeong Soo-wan, programmer of JIFF, said. "But we'll also screen a range of movies that general audiences will find interesting".

Opening with this year's Berlin Silver Bear winner "Offside", by Iranian director Jafar Panahi, the festival will show 192 films from 42 countries. The Korean-Japanese co-production film "Don't Look Back", by local director Kim Young-nam, will close the festival.

"Offside" is a story about a group of Iranian girls who attempt to enter a football sta...| More

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7th Jeonju Int'l Film Fest Announces Line-Up

2006/04/12 | Source | Permalink |

By Nigel DSa
Assistant Editor / Staff Writer

Female cast of "Offside", an uplifting Iranian movie about soccer and the divide between the sexes, won cheers at the Berlin Film Festival as one of two features from the Islamic republic vying for the top prizes.

Ranked as one of the top festivals in Korea for both its audience record and its organization, the 7th Jeonju International Film Festival is set to take off this April 27, 2006 for a nine-day run. This year 192 films from 42 countries will be shown. The opening film will be Berlin Silver Bear Winner Offside by top Iranian director Jafar Panahi, whose films often focus on the social issues facing modern Iranian women.

The main program will feature two competition sections, 'Indie Vision' and 'Digital Spectrum'. Indie Vision will present debuts or second features that embody the vision of independent filmmaking. The Woosuk award of $10 000 US dollars will be awarded to the film that corresponds most with the festival's slog...| More

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