Jeonju International Film Festival Opens With 237 Films From 54 Countries

JEONJU, South Korea, April 29 (Yonhap) -- The Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), South Korea's largest showcase of indie and house cinema, was set to kick off Wednesday evening, featuring 237 films from 54 countries, organizers said. The 27th edition of the festival will begin its 10-day run with an opening ceremony scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Sori Arts Center in Jeonju, about 190 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the organizers. American filmmaker Kent Jones' "Late Fame," which follows a poet whose quiet life is upended when a group of young admirers rediscovers his long-forgotten work, will open the festival. The film had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in August last year. Throughout JIFF's 10-day run, 237 films will be available for screening across Jeonju, including 140 international titles, up by 13 from the previous year, organizers said. A total of 421 films from 70 nations have been submitted to JIFF's international competition section, while 10 films, including four documentaries, will compete in the Korean competition section. This year, a special program will take place in honor of late actor Ahn Sung-ki, who passed away in December, by showcasing lesser-known works from his celebrated career. JIFF will close with Kim Hyun-ji's "Namtaeryeong," which follows farmers who ride tractors to Seoul to demand the impeachment of then President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024.