- Introducing 229 titles including Opening film ´On Body and Soul´

- ´Outlet for Cinematic Expression´ beyond the limitation and external pressure

The 18th Jeonju International Film Festival held official press conference to announce its line-up including Opening and Closing Film, overview of the feast, and main changes in Jeonju and Seoul on Monday, March 27.

Chairman of Organizing Committee KIM Seung-soo, Festival Director LEE Choongjik, Executive Programmer KIM Youngjin, and Programmer LEE Sang-yong and JANG Byungwon attended at each press conference held at 10:30am in Jeonju Digital Independent Cinema and at 5:00pm in Seoul GLAD Hotel.

At Jeonju press conference, director LEE Changjae from N Project, director KIM Yang-hee from The Poet and The Boy and director KIM Daehwan from The First Lap, which are from ´Jeonju Cinema Project 2017´ At Seoul press conference, actors from ´Jeonju Cinema Project 2017´ have joined and briefly greeted: YANG Ikjun and JEON Hyejin from The Poet and The Boy and GIL Hyeyeon and KI Joobong from The First Lap.

Main features and changes in administration of the 18th Jeonju IFF has been announced. This year, Jeonju Dome is newly introduced as an outdoor screening place. Opening/closing ceremony, gala screening, outdoor screening, performances, and the audience party will be held in TFS tent. Also, there was the announcement of diverse exhibition programs, strengthening Korean films and the expansion of awards section and the improvement of audiences service.

This year Jeonju IFF will showcase 229 films while 211 films featured at the 17th Joenju IFF. It has been supported by the increased utilization of CGV Jeonju Gosa which is a main cinema. By assuring the number of seats at full against the crowded season, Jeonju IFF also tries to guarantee audience´s rights.

There were the announcement of the opening film of the 18th Jeonju IFF. On Body and Soul, which won the Golden bear Prize at the Berlin international Film Festival, was selected as an opening film, and director SHINOBU Yaguchi´s Survival Family was selected as a closing film.

Regarding program, the festival has introduced various attempts. Jeonju IFF has newly introduced ´Frontline´ section to bring about controversial topics. Also, through ´Special Focus´, ´World Cinemascape: Masters´, ´Expanded Cinema´, Jeonju IFF has invited film masters and their films. Special Focus this year include ´Michael WINTERBOTTOM: The filmmaker Across the Boundaries´, ´SONG Gil-han, The Writer of Cinematic Spirit´, ´Aleksey GERMAN: An Auteur of a Confined Revolt´ and ´Modern Italian Cinema: Regeneration Movement´.

After introducing all sections and programs, the utive programmer KIM Youngjin has introduced directors and actors/actresses of ´Jeonju Cinema Project(JCP)´, which is entering its the 4th edition this year. All three films were introduced and those three are all Korean films. The utive programmer KIM Youngjin said, "As the Korean independent film industry has long stagnated, we hope the potential of an independent film will soon explode beyond its threshold of a crucial point."

Regarding ´Jeonju Project Market(JPM)´, Jeonju IFF has introduced Jeonju Cinema Fund this year, to support creative feature and documentary projects. As JPM aligned with Jeonju Cinema Project, the linkage between Jeonju Project Market and Jeonju Cinema Project aims to raise possibility to produce films and minimize the period for production.

After press conference on March 27, information about total 229 titles and main events will be presented on Jeonju IFF´s official website (eng.jiff.or.kr). Following Opening/Closing Ceremony Reservation which opens on April 11, general screening reservation will start from April 13. The 18th Jeonju IFF will be held from Thursday, April 27 to Saturday, May 6, for 10 days.