These are our twenty recommended feature films from the Jeonju International Film Festival, which is taking place from May 1 – 10, 2024 in Jeonju, South Korea.

10 Years after the sinking, Zero-Sum by Yoon Solji – Korea | 2024 – 80 minutes | World Premiere

Ten years ago, 304 innocent people aboard the Sewol ferry in Korea lost their lives at sea. The reason for the sinking and the complete failure of the rescue are crucial factors yet to be revealed. But the government continues to withhold key evidence, citing national security reasons. This documentary finds a conclusion of why all the matters have gone wrong. (Jeonju 2024)

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A Chronicle in Spirals by Kim Yiso – Korea | 2023 – 82 minutes | World Premiere

After falling for an apartment scam, Ungbi sleeps more in the mornings. The landlord evicts Eunbin’s theatre troupe. The demolition is scheduled for tomorrow. Two stories echo back to each other without fully sticking together. This film is an incomplete memory of the witness, a diary written on the traces of the past. (Jeonju 2024)

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A Song of Korean Factory Girls by Lee Won-sik – Korea | 2024 – 84 minutes | World Premiere

During the Japanese colonial period, 22 Korean female workers were forced to work in a spinning mill in Osaka across the sea to support their families. Despite facing discrimination and violence, their testimonies and life-affirming songs of victory have endured. (Jeonju 2024)

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Arirang Rhapsody by Kim Sungwoong – Japan | 2023 – 125 minutes | International Premiere

The Korean-Japanese immigrants who came to japan in the midst of colonialization for one reason or another—the first-generation grandmothers in Sakuramoto, Kawasaki, are in the final stage of life on the tough Japanese soil they built their foundation. They witness the reality that Japan is becoming a country capable of war again, and shout “No to War” from their experience, recalling the atrocity of it. As they learn to read, write and paint in their later years, what do these grandmothers, who have lived their lives vigorously in the face of oppression and discrimination, would like to tell to the future generations? A poignant and dazzling story of 22 years. (Jeonju 2024)

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Autumn Note by Kim Sol – Korea | 2024 – 72 minutes | World Premiere

Soo-in, a piano teacher, decides to attend a debut concert at her professor’s request after a long absence. As she prepares for the concert, she reflects on her memories and feelings. (Jeonju 2024)

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Body of Light by Jang Gun-ho – Korea | 2024 – 105 minutes | World Premiere

Hanna, a Korean-American adoptee, wakes up disoriented in Chuncheon. After discovering a missing person flyer, she begins to uncover the secrets of a mysterious death. As the events unfold, Hanna faces her lost past, transcending life’s karma. The reunion between life and death leads to another dilemma, ironically ending Hanna’s long journey of self-discovery. (Jeonju 2024)

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Cu Li Never Cries by Pham Ngoc Lan – Vietnam, Singapore, France, Philippines, Norway | 2024 – 93 minutes | Asian Premiere

A woman tries to cling onto her past after inheriting a pygmy slow loris from her long-estranged husband; meanwhile, her niece prepares for marriage as the young couple ponders their uncertain future together. The present and the complex echoes of Vietnamese history intertwine with a contemplative and poetic perspective. (Jeonju 2024)

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Home Sweet Home by Oh Seho – Korea | 2024 – 93 minutes | World Premiere

The 17-year-old girl, Woodam, is overjoyed to have her own room for the first time. However, her older brother, Woojoo, brings home the pregnant Gyeongbin, who happens to be Woodam’s classmate. Faced with the threat of losing her room to Gyeongbin and her unborn baby, Woodam begins to devise a grand plan. (Jeonju 2024)

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Love, My Way by Liu Bing – China | 2023 – 96 minutes | International Premiere

Qian was bent on experiencing love and fully committed to every relationship, but all the men she met were unreliable. Qian’s best girlfriend, Tingting, also suffered in love, but as time goes by, Qian and Tingting gradually went on to different life trajectories… (Jeonju 2024)

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Lucky, Apartment by Kangyu Garam – Korea | 2024 – 96 minutes | World Premiere

Lesbian couple Sun-woo and Hee-suh buy a small apartment, which they’ve put everything for. But when Sun-woo loses her job and injures her leg, their relationship begins to sour while Hee-suh is sorely responsible for paying the mortgage and interest. Their stress level reaches a fever pitch when a foul odor starts to emanate from downstairs. (Jeonju 2024)

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For this festival we also recommended 15 short films you can see the article HERE

For more information, please visit: https://eng.jeonjufest.kr