Over 200 movies featured at Jeonju Film Festival

"A Stray Goat," directed by Cho Jae-min, is one of this year's Jeonju Cinema projects and will have its
world premiere at the festival. / Courtesy of the Jeonju International Film Festival

By Jason Bechervaise

Renowned for its cuisine and culture, Jeonju is an idyllic setting for a film festival that screens the latest in independent, international, alternative and local cinema.

This year, the Jeonju International Film Festival (Jeonju IFF), which begins on April 28, will be conveniently located in the heart of the city, utilizing the newly built CGV Jeonju Gosa that makes it easier to move between venues.

Opening Film

Opening the 17th edition of the festival is Robert Budreau's "Born to Be Blue" that mixes fact and fiction. It stars Ethan Hawke as the notorious but legendary American Jazz musician Chet Baker as he attempts to make a comeback. Having garnered strong praise following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, especially for Hawke's performance, it is set to kick off the festival on the right note.

There are 211 films from 45 countries (163 features, 48 shorts), including 49 world premieres (27 features, 22 shorts). So it will be somewhat challenging navigating through the program.

Jeonju Cinema Project

For those looking for Korean independent films, one of the best places to start is the Jeonju Cinema Project, which consists of three films (two local and one international co-production).

Now in its third year, this strand of the program has produced acclaimed films such as "The Avian Kind," directed by Shin Yeon-shick, Kim Hee-jung's "Snow Paths" featuring rising star Park So-dam, and Park Jung-bum's "Alive," which won the Grand Prize at the Wildflower Film Awards on April 7.

This year, "A Stray Goat," directed by Cho Jae-min, "Great Patrioteers," helmed by Kim Soo-hyun, and Lukas Valenta Rinner's "The Decent" are the three Jeonju Cinema Projects.

"A Stray Goat" follows a high school student, played by Park Jin-young (Got7's Junior), who moves to the town of Goseong where he meets a girl, played by Ji-woo ("Cart"), who is an outcast because of suspicions about her father. They become friends and begin taking care of a goat together.

The feature is the first of the Myung Film Institute's (co-chaired by one of Korea's most talented producers, Shim Jae-myung) graduation films to be screened at the festival.

Kim Soo-hyun's ("Ashamed") "Great Patrioteers" is a dark comedy about a young "keyboard warrior" and a conservative "patriotic senior citizen" who become close and prepare for their last big event that leads to disaster. Cinematographer Cho Yong-kyu, who has worked with leading filmmakers including Bong Joon-ho, Ryoo Seung-wan and Lee Chang-dong, has also been involved in the project.

"The Decent," meanwhile, is a collaboration of Korea, Austria and Argentina about a housemaid working on the outskirts of Buenos Aires who discovers a secretive nudist club.

Han Ye-ri stars in Kim Jong-kwan's "Worst Woman" that is premiering in the Korean competition.
Courtesy of the Jeonju International Film Festival

Korean Competition

In terms of other Korean independent films that might be worth checking out, in the main competition Kim Jong-kwan's "Worst Woman," about an actress who meets three different men and changes her appearance and personality every time, is worthy of attention. It features Han Ye-ri, who remains a talent to look out for following her notable performances in Shim Sung-bo's "Haemoo" and Moon Hyun-sung's "As One."

Also screening in the competition is the Korean Academy of Arts (KAFA) graduation film "Our Love Story," directed by Lee Hyun-ju. It is about the love between two women. KAFA's illustrious alumni include Bong Joon-ho, Choi Dong-hoon and Hur Jin-ho. Last year's KAFA project, "Alice in Earnestland," directed by Ahn Gooc-jin, won the Grand Prize at the festival, became a box office hit and actress Lee Jung-hyun won Best Actress at the Blue Dragon and Wildflower Awards for her leading role.

Documentaries

Documentaries have played an important role in Korean cinema over recent years as evident with films such as "Factory Complex," "A Dream of Iron" and "The Truth Shall Not Sink with Sewol."

At Jeonju this year, non-fiction films include Koh Hee-young's "Breathing Underwater" -- about female divers in Jeju -- that was shot over seven years. Choi Seung-ho's "Spy Nation," about an espionage trial and alleged involvement from a government agency, is screening in Korea Cinemascape with seven other documentaries, including "Old Days" -- a film about Park Chan-wook's "Oldboy."

Also showing in Cinemascape is "Bittersweet Brew," the latest fictional feature from prolific independent filmmaker Lee Sang-woo, about a law graduate who is actually working in a cafe because of his love for coffee. The feature marks the fifth consecutive year Lee has a film at the festival.

International Films

Turning to international films, Paul Thomas Anderson's mid-length non-fiction project "Junun" will have its Korean premiere in the Masters section.

"Trivisa," produced by Johnnie To, explores the criminal underworld as preparations are under way for Hong Kong to be handed over to China in 1997. It screens in the Midnight in Cinema section.

Other films that are worth viewing include Kent Jones' "Hitchcock/Truffaut" that will have its Asian premiere at the festival, while cinephiles might also like to catch Sergei Eisenstein's pioneering film "Battleship Potemkin" (1925) on the big screen.

Closing Film

The festival will close with the digital remastered version of Ryoo Seung-wan's inventive action film "Die Bad" (2000), which will be eight minutes shorter than the original.

The 17th Jeonju IFF runs from April 28-May 7. Tickets go on sale on the festival's website from 11 a.m. April 14. More details at eng.jiff.or.kr.

Jason Bechervaise is a film columnist for The Korea Times. He can be reached at jase@koreanfilm.org.uk.