A scene from “The Longest Night: Namtaeryeong" / Courtesy of Jeonju International Film Festival

The 27th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will kick off its 10-day run Wednesday, featuring 237 films from 54 countries.

This year’s edition seeks to broaden the festival’s cinematic scope by bridging the gap between historical retrospectives and contemporary social discourse. With 78 world premieres on the schedule, the event is set to reinforce its status as a premier platform for independent and experimental cinema that challenges conventional narratives.

A highlight of the opening will be the presentation of a special lifetime achievement award to the late Ahn Sung-ki, the legendary actor who passed away earlier this year.

The festival organizers established the award to honor Ahn’s lifelong contribution in elevating Korean cinema. Ahn’s son, Ahn Philip, will accept the award on behalf of his father. The opening ceremony will be hosted by actors Shin Hyun-joon and Go Won-hee.

The festival will open with the film "Late Fame," directed by Kent Jones. Based on a story by Arthur Schnitzler, the film portrays an aging former poet whose quiet life is revitalized by a new generation of admirers. Both Jones and lead actor Greta Lee are scheduled to attend the festival to engage with Korean audiences and discuss the film’s exploration of artistic legacy.

The festival’s competition sections focus on pressing social and political themes. The International Competition category will feature 10 selected films, including "Stone and Feather" by Ragip Turk and "If I Go Will They Miss Me" by Walter Thompson-Hernandez.

A scene from "Sandra, The Primate Citizen" / Courtesy of Jeonju International Film Festival

Documentaries have emerged as a dominant force in the Korean Competition section this year.

Out of the 10 finalists, four are nonfiction works, including Yu So-young’s "Water Deer," which offers an intimate look at the director’s mother through her labor and daily life. Ha Si-nae’s "Sandra, The Primate Citizen" explores the life of the titular orangutan, while So Seong-seop’s "Insomnia" tackles the social anxieties of a newlywed couple struggling with "jeonse" (a type of housing rental system with a big lump-sum deposit unique to Korea) fraud.

Source: Korea Times News