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Jeonju International Film Festival to kick off April 30 with 224 films to be screened

Published: 14 Apr. 2025, 12:05 Updated: 14 Apr. 2025, 19:23

A still from "Kontinental ’25," the opening film for the 26th edition of the Jeonju International Film Festival [JIFF]

The 26th edition of the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will kick off on April 30 and run through May 9. A total of 224 films from 57 countries will be screened during the 10-day event, including 126 international and 98 Korean titles.

This year’s opening film is comedy flick "Kontinental '25" by Romanian director Radu Jude. The film, which won the Best Screenplay at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival, was shot entirely on a smartphone. Set in the Transylvania region of Romania, it follows a civil servant tasked with evicting homeless residents, portraying the struggle through a documentary-like lens.

The closing film is "In the Land of Machines," a documentary by Korean director Kim Ok-young. It centers on Nepali migrant workers employed in Korea, highlighting their everyday lives and challenges.

Actor Lee Jung-hyun has curated the “J Special: Programmer of the Year” section. Three of her selections will be screened: her cinematic debut “A Petal” (1996), “Night Fishing” (2011) and Park Chan-wook’s “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” (2002).

Actor Lee Jung-hyun [JIFF]

Lee’s directorial debut, a short film titled “Toe-Tapping Tunes," will also be featured in the “Korea Cinemascape” section.

The festival will also feature a special section dedicated to veteran filmmaker Bae Chang-ho. Bae, known for his experimental works throughout the 1980s and 1990s, will be highlighted through screenings of three films including the documentary “The Close Up of Bae Chang-ho,” which examines his life and career, and his 1986 period drama "Hwang Jin-ie."

Ten films will compete in the International Competition section, including "Always" by Chinese director Chen Deming. In the World Cinema section, 25 films will be screened, among them “I’m Still Here," the winner of the Best International Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards.

Tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies will be available starting at 2 p.m. on April 16. Reservations for general screenings open at 11 a.m. on April 18. Tickets can be purchased through the film festival’s official website.