Film Discourse Goes On!

The 22nd JEONJU IFF Launches JEONJU Conference Covering All the Topics of the Film Industry!

? JEONJU Conference will discuss the world and Korean film industry from diverse angles.

? “Film Goes On: What Connects Us” will talk about OTT and the future of narratives.

JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF, Festival Director LEE Joondong) launches JEONJU Conference as a part of the 13th JEONJU Project and discusses the diverse aspects of the current topics in the domestic and global film industries from diverse angles. At its first debut, JEONJU Conference will present the values to be considered and ask questions for the film and content industry in this fast-changing media environment. JEONJU IFF prepared this new program with an ambition to create an event where all about the discourse could happen in one place.

This year, JEONJU Conference will run for three days under the topic of “Film Goes on: What Connects Us” (referring to “What Connects Us” hereafter). JEONJU IFF Programmer Sung MOON said the intention of the conference, “We organized JEONJU Conference to seek possibility of changes by analyzing present industry trends, introduce possible alternatives and cases of those who are making experimental attempts, and above all, discuss “together” fundamental questions necessary for the anticipative preparation through diverse intellects and media.” She continued, “The “stories” of humankind that have begun from ancient cave paintings did not disappear even through countless transformations of the technologies and platforms. Humankind merely and perpetually craved to be connected to new stories and to the world. Then, what will connect us now?”

There are two big topics presented for the conference. The first topic is “OTT and Reorganization of the Korean Film and Video Industry in the Post-COVID Era” where filmmakers, producers, distributors, and policymakers, who have been working with global OTTs that have grown rapidly over the past year, will talk about their challenges. Also, it will introduce domestic and foreign OTT services that are striking as alternative platforms in the market. There will be four sessions at the Event Hall of Korea Traditional Culture Centre on May 4 (Tue), LEE Joondong, JEONJU IFF Festival Director, LEE Eun, Chair of Korean Film Producers Association, CHO Seongjin, Executive of CGV Strategy Support, OH Kihwan, Director of Directors Guild of Korea, KIM Eunyoung, Professor of Chugye University for the Arts, WON Dongyeon, CEO of Realies Pictures, YOU Jeonghun, CEO of Merry Christmas, producer CHO Youngwook (The Silent Sea), film critic KIM Hyojung, and KIM Hyunjung, CEO of Amberfilms will present at the sessions.

The second topic is “Women’s Ticket Power, The Story They Want,” a discussion about new narratives that a new era demands. As the global OTT expands widely around the world, the female-centered narratives are also getting the limelight in the market. We invite directors, actors, producers, and they talk about the female points of view. With moderator KIM Hyunmin, a reporter and director, “Women, Actor, and Director: The Way They Meet Audiences” session will talk about the experience of creating with those who are working in the market as actors and directors in the industry. LEE Dahye, reporter of Cine21 will lead a discussion at “Newly Connected World,” inviting the leading Korean women directors, producers, and actors to talk about their plans and challenges in the future. It will be at the Event Hall of the Korean Traditional Culture Centre on May 3 (Mon). Lastly, there will be another session “Equality, Diversity, and Film” co-hosted with The Center for Gender Equality in Korean Film Deundeun along with the book concert of the author KIM Okyoung who wrote The Techniques of Documentary.

Also, co-hosted by SJM Culture Foundation and JEONJU IFF, “The Documentary Editing and Editors in Korea” will discuss the specificity and the expertise of documentary editing with the editing directors onsite and from diverse field and careers.

There will be many other topics covered in various events such as “JeonJu Film Commission 20th Anniversary Conference,” “2021 Korean Film Sound Effect Source Conference” hosted by Jeonju IT&CT Industry Promotion Agency (JICA), and a co-production conference hosted by the Embassy of France in Korea.

JEONJU Conference will be held at the Event Hall of Korean Traditional Culture Centre and the Conference Room of Jeonju Social Innovation Center from May 2 to 4, 2021. All the main sessions of JEONJU conference will be live-streamed online on the official YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/jeonjuiff). The detailed event schedule and the guest information can be found from JEONJU Project website (project.jeonjufest.kr) which will be launched in early April.