Sci-fi and LGBTQ-themed features are among 11 titles selected for this year’s Korean Competition at the upcoming Jeonju International Film Festival (April 27-May 6).
Organisers revealed that 111 films were submitted this year – down by 10 on 2022 – and comprise eight narrative features, two documentaries and one experimental documentary. The section includes first or second features by Korean directors.
Features with queer themes include No Heaven, But Love. by Han Jay, which follows teenagers at a high school Taekwondo club in 1999 and explores friendship, love, chronic violence, and sexual abuse. The director was previously at Jeonju with Take Me Home in 2020. Heavy Snow, Yun Suik’s latest project after a 10-year hiatus, centres on two high school girls who travel between Gangneung and Seoul and fall in love. The cast include popular actress Han Sohee.
Jude Chun’s Unidentified is set in a world where an UFO appeared in the sky in 1993, while Sohn Koo-yong’s Night Walk is a documentary that uses the night scenery of a random town as a canvas for painting and a background for writing poems by Seonbis of the Joseon Dynasty.
Returning to Jeonju is Shim Hye-jung with Flowers Of Mold, having screened A Bedsore at the 20th edition of the festival, while Shin Dongmin will present From You, having previously played Mom’s Song in competition at Jeonju in 2020.
Commenting on this year’s selection, programmer Moon Seok said: “More colourful films with various themes were submitted this year so taking the time to even discuss specific trends is meaningless. The topic of queer is now just a natural trend, and the number of features and shorts dealing with the process of film or art production have increased considerably. In addition, films that interpret and implement sci-fi imagination in their own way stood out.”
Jeonju Korean Competition 2023
Flowers Of Mold
Dir. SHIM Hye-jung
From You
Dir. SHIN Dongmin
Unidentified
Dir. Jude CHUN
A Tour Guide
Dir. KWAK Eun-mi
Night Walk
Dir. SOHN Koo-yong
Sugung-The Underwater Palace
Dir. YOO Suyeon
Warm Welcome
Dir. PARK Marisol
No Heaven, But Love.
Dir. HAN Jay
Regardless Of Us
Dir. YOO Heong-jun
Small Fry
Dir. PARK Joongha
Heavy Snow
Dir. YUN Suik
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