This year’s Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will feature 224 films from 57 countries which consists of 98 Korean films and 126 international films. The festival’s slogan, “Beyond the Frame,” is meant to highlight the innovative spirit of the festival which has constantly tried to break away from conventional film formats and screening methods. This stays true to the identity of JIFF which aims to cross lines, defy boundaries, and continue to take on new challenges.

Some of the programme highlights of the festival includes:

• Special Focus: Possible Cinemas
  This section highlights creators who are making films in independent ways around the world.
• Again, Towards Democracy
  A selection of six documentaries, this sub-section explores political situations in various countries around the world that have gone through or are going through situations similar to South Korea’s.
• J Special: Programmer of the Year
  The 5th star for this special section where industry experts introduces films fitting one’s cinematic views and preferences is actress Lee Jung-hyun.
• JEONJU Cinema Project
  A programme in which the JEONJU International Film Festival directly participates in filmmaking to promote the production of low-budget feature films, will screen one film this year: a new documentary by director Lee Il-ha which follows the life of Shin Sugok, a third-generation Korean-Japanese activist and entrepreneur.

The festival will also be screening two co-production films from Singapore:

• Stranger Eyes by Singaporean filmmaker Yeo Siew Hua
  A couple’s daughter vanishes, and a mysterious DVD—filled with voyeuristic footage—appears on their doorstep…
• An Unfinished Film by director Lou Ye
  Director Lou Ye began An Unfinished Film with unused footage from his 2009 feature Spring Fever, intending to craft a new film from that material, but the outbreak of COVID-19 interrupted the process and the result is this film, where actors in footages from a decade ago return to the current timeline.

This year, the festival will run from 30th April to 9th May.