82.1% Seat Occupancy! The 27th Jeonju International Film Festival Wraps Up with Huge Success

Held from April 29 to May 8, the festival screened 237 films from 54 countries and featured diverse programs, including a special memorial for the late Ahn Sung-ki.

The 27th Jeonju International Film Festival, which opened on the 29th of last month, officially concluded with a closing ceremony held at the Jeonbuk National University Samsung Cultural Center on May 8 at 6:30 PM. The closing film was “Namtaeryeong” (Dir. Kim Hyun-ji), a work documenting a new solidarity created by Twitter users on the fringes as they navigated between the physical world and the digital square of X (Twitter).

The opening ceremony, hosted by actors Shin Hyun-joon and Ko Won-hee, honored the late Ahn Sung-ki, who passed away in January, with a Special Achievement Award, which was accepted by his son. Following this, “My Private Artist” by director Kent Jones was screened as the opening film.

Under the slogan “We Always Cross the Line,” this year’s festival focused on experimental works and independent films that expand traditional cinematic grammar, striving to strengthen its identity as an alternative film platform.

A total of 237 films (96 domestic and 140 international) from 54 countries were presented to audiences across 21 screens in 5 theaters. Out of 610 total screenings, 442 were sold out. As of May 7, 69,365 viewers visited the theaters, resulting in a high seat occupancy rate of 82.1%, a 0.5%p increase from last year.

The Grand Prize for the Korean Competition went to “Summer Gone” (Dir. Lee Sun-yeon). The CGV Award was won by “Spending the Same Season” (Dir. Ko Seung-hyun), while the Best Actor awards were given to Ki Jin-woo for “Sleepless Night” and Yeo Dae-hyun for “Spending the Same Season”. “Gongsun-i” (Dir. Yoo So-young) received the Nongshim Shin Ramyun Award, and “Resurrection” (Dir. Kim Myun-woo) won the Jury Special Award.

The Grand Prize for the Korean Short Competition was awarded to “Touch, Tuk” (Dir. Tae Ji-won). Director Tae Ji-won shared an emotional victory speech, saying, “For today at least, I feel like every choice I made while filming this movie was right.”

Other winners included Director Kim Jung-min for “Buckwheat Jelly” (Director’s Award), “Business Log” (Dir. Kang Min-ah) for the Jury Special Award, and “Post Food Drop” (Dir. Kang Seung-ho) and “Whale Hunting” (Dir. Ryu Do-hyun) for the Aero K Award.

The festival featured a variety of programs, including a special memorial exhibition reflecting on the cinematic world of Ahn Sung-ki, “J Special: Programmer of the Year” exploring director Byun Young-joo’s cinematic roots, as well as New York Underground and Hong Kong Avant-garde special exhibitions.

Additionally, the festival created a festive atmosphere with audience-participation events and promotion booths centered around the movie street, including the special program “Super Mario Galaxy in Jeonju” and “100 Films 100 Posters,” which blended film, design, and art. An urban camping screening, held in collaboration with a sports apparel brand, also provided a unique experience for visitors.

During the wrap-up press conference, Executive Director Jung Jun-ho stated, “Maintaining the identity of a film festival for 27 years is impossible without sacrifice. I will work to supplement the lacking areas to make it a more beloved festival.”

Executive Director Min Sung-wook noted, “In terms of theater size, the occupancy rate of the Jeonju International Film Festival has reached its limit. Once the Jeonju Independent Film House is completed and more screens are added, we expect the numbers to increase further.”