The 27th JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF, Festival Co-Directors MIN Sungwook and JUNG Junho) received a total of 421 submissions for its International Competition section during the submission period from November 26, 2025, to January 19, 2026.
The International Competition section highlights the first or second feature-length works of directors and have their Asian premiere at the festival. While the total number of submissions saw a slight decrease compared to last year, meaningful changes emerged across several areas. Notably, the proportion of eligible entries for evaluation increased significantly, resulting in a larger number of films qualifying for preliminary screening despite the overall decline in submissions.
In terms of genre distribution, submissions showed a 2% rise in certain genres, resulting in 59.6% fiction films and 34.2% documentaries. By country, the top five submitters were the United States with 44 films (10.5%), followed by China with 36 (8.6%), Japan with 28 (6.7%), Canada with 22 (5.2%), and Germany with 19 (4.5%). Submissions from North America showed a marked increase this year.
Molly KIM, programmer at JEONJU IFF commented on this year’s submission, saying, “This year we had a slight decrease in the number of submissions compared to last year, supposedly due to the launching of the submission fee. This was set to prevent invalid submissions and to support independent creative artists. I think it was effective that we actually had more eligible films from more diverse countries.”
She mentioned a notable shift in participating filmmakers' backgrounds, adding, “Also, interestingly we got many films directed by not just filmmakers but working professionals in visual media industry such as photographers and media artists. I feel that this is a motivating trend particularly in this changing cultural landscape and now we will continuously have more works produced by (film) artists with multiple backgrounds. JEONJU this year will be full with such works that reflect diverse perspectives and creativity.”
The 27th JEONJU IFF will feature ten compelling and distinctive films in the International Competition section, curated by a domestic and international jury through a rigorous preliminary screening. Last year's selection, the 26th JEONJU IFF, Joel Alfonso VARGAS's Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) won the Grand Prize in the International Competition.
Meanwhile, a total of 1,785 Korean films were submitted across all sections, reflecting the current landscape of Korean cinema. The submissions range from fresh attempts by emerging directors to experimental works, heightening anticipation for the festival’s screening lineup.
Having concluded its open call for submissions with broad participation from filmmakers, the 27th JEONJU International Film Festival will take place over 10 days from April 29 (Wed) to May 8 (Fri), 2026, across Jeonju City.
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| △ The 26th JEONJU International Film Festival (2025) Award Ceremony |
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