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 stadium dressed as boys because women are not allowed. And "Don't Look Back" revolves around three young people who find themselves in trouble due to life's uncertainties.
The festival consists of two main competitive programs and 11 non-competitive sections, which will be shown in 13 theaters and outdoor venues.
In the two main competitive programs _ Indie Vision and Digital Spectrum, visitors can explore the current trend in independent filmmaking and the technical and aesthetic application of digital media.
In other non-competitive sections such as Cinemascape, Korean Cinema on the Move, Korean Cinema Showcase and Cinema Palace, a range of films that appeal to general audiences as well as independent film buffs will be screened.
Korean Cinema Showcase collects the latest local features, which have been shown but not fully appreciated here due to fierce competition with box office blockbuster films. They include the melodrama "The Magicians" by Song Il-Gon, thriller "Princess Aurora" by Bang Eun-Jin and romantic drama "Blossom Again" ("Close to You") by Jeong Ji-Woo.
In its retrospective section, renowned Indian director Ritwik Ghatak's works will be shown to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his death. They include "The Citizen" from 1952, "A River named Titash" from 1973 and "The Cloud-capped Star" from 1960.
In the section titled "Discovery: Allegories of Resistance _ Forbidden Films of Soviet Cinema", audiences will have a rare chance to see movies from the Soviet Union from the 1960s to the 1980s, which were long banned here due to ideological differences.
The three short films in "Digital Short Films by Three Filmmakers", an omnibus film project specially made for the event by three separate international directors, include "Twelve Twenty" by Pen-ek Ratanaruang of Taiwan, "About Love" by Darezhan Omirbayev of Kazakhstan and "Do Day Off" by Eric Khoo of Singapore.
The opening and closing ceremonies will be held at Sori Arts Center, and other screenings and street events will take place at the Cinema District in Kosa-dong.
Along with film screenings, other events include filmmakers' master classes, outdoor performances and Q&A sessions with directors. Local actor Choi Min-sik from the 2003 hit thriller "Old Boy" and Japanese actor Takenaka Naoto will participate in a master class.
Must-Sees at Jeonju International Film Festival
7th Jeonju International Film Festival
When: April 27 through May 5
Where: Sori Arts Center and theaters in Cinema District in Chonju, North Cholla Province
How much: 5,000 won to 10,000 won
Info: (063) 288-5433, (02) 2285-0562 or Open the link
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