Independent cinema to light up shores of Jeongdongjin in August

A poster for Jeongdongjin Independent Film Festival / Courtesy of organizing committee

The picturesque coastal town of Jeongdongjin in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, is gearing up to host the 27th Jeongdongjin Independent Film Festival (JIFF) from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3, transforming Jeongdong Elementary School into a vibrant hub for independent cinema right by the beach.

Unlike most film festivals, the JIFF is renowned for its open-air screenings held on the school grounds just steps from the beach, creating a unique atmosphere where audiences can enjoy films under the summer night sky. All 27 selected films — 25 shorts and two features — will be screened free of charge, making the festival accessible to all movie fans and beachgoers, the organizer said Friday.

Organized by Gangneung CinemaTheque, the JIFF has been held annually since 1999, always on the first weekend of August. It is the only open-air independent film festival in Korea that screens all films for free, fostering a welcoming environment for both filmmakers and audiences.

The committee emphasized that this year’s lineup balances polished, genre-driven works with raw, visionary films that may be making their public debut at Jeongdongjin.

The organizer said they received a record 1,279 submissions for this year’s event, including 1,189 short films and 90 feature films. After a careful selection process, the committee chose 27 works that span a variety of genres and themes.

A scene from a movie "404 Still Remain, Our 5 Minutes," which will be screened at this year's Jeongdongjin Independent Film Festival in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3 / Courtesy of the organizing committee

The program is anchored by two films. Director Uhm Ha-neul's first feature-length work, "404 Still Remain, Our 5 Minutes," delicately explores the fragile friendship of two boys brought together by their love of J-pop. Uhm's movie has already garnered attention at major festivals including the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival in 2024 and the Osaka Asian Film Festival this year.

The second feature, director Lee Ran-hee's "The Final Semester," is an acclaimed film portraying the anxieties and hopes of vocational high school students on the brink of adulthood. It won multiple awards at the Busan International Film Festival last year and the Seoul Independent Film Festival, and is set for theatrical release later this year.

Other notable selections include "New-World Tour" by Lee Moon-joo, an animated short that won the grand prize at last year’s Seoul Independent Animation Festival. Additionally, "Planet Spoilia" by Lee Se-hyung and "Undercurrent" by Lee Ru-ri both drew critical acclaim at the Jeonju International Film Festival this year.