Jeonju International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF)

Overview

The Jeonju International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF) is South Korea's largest showcase of independent and arthouse cinema. The 27th edition runs April 29 to May 8, 2026, across 21 screens at five venues in Jeonju, screening 237 films from 54 countries with 78 world premieres. The festival is co-directed by Min Sungwook and Jung Junho, with the slogan "Beyond the Frame" for 2026.

JEONJU IFF deliberately occupies a different space from the more commercially oriented Busan International Film Festival. The festival champions formal innovation, artistic risk, and independent filmmaking, with a particular commitment to digital cinema experimentation that dates back to its founding in 2000. The International Competition is limited to first or second feature films from emerging directors, making it one of the most accessible major Asian festivals for new filmmakers.

The 27th edition opens with the Korean premiere of Kent Jones' Late Fame and closes with the world premiere of Kim Hyun-ji's documentary The Longest Night: Namtaeryeong. The International Competition selected 10 titles from 421 submissions across 70 countries, all making their Asian premieres. The Korean Competition also fielded 10 selections, four of them documentaries. The festival presented a special achievement award to the late actor Ahn Sung-ki, who died in January 2026 after a six-decade career spanning over 130 films.

Submission Details

JEONJU IFF accepts open submissions for its International Competition and Korean Competition sections. International submissions can be made through FilmFreeway or FestHome. Korean film submissions are handled through the festival's own entry site.

International Competition deadlines for the 27th JEONJU IFF (2026):

• Submissions opened: November 26, 2025
• Submission deadline: January 19, 2026
• Notification date: March 31, 2026
• Submission fee: $30 USD per film

Korean film deadlines for the 27th JEONJU IFF (2026):

• Submissions opened: November 5, 2025
• Short film deadline: January 5, 2026, 17:00 KST
• Feature film deadline: January 19, 2026, 17:00 KST
• Notification: March 2026

International Competition eligibility requirements:

• Must be the director's first or second feature-length film (all co-directors must meet this requirement, no exceptions)
• Running time: longer than 40 minutes (including credits)
• Date of completion: after January 2025
• Premiere status: at least Asian Premiere (if the film is from an Asian country, it must not have screened in another Asian country outside the home country)
• Films released on SVOD, VOD, DVD, or Blu-ray are not eligible for any official section
• Graduation screenings and private screenings are exempt from the premiere requirement
• English subtitles must be embedded on the screener if the original language is non-English
• Submission is completed only when the online screening link is uploaded with the entry form

Korean film eligibility requirements:

• Films completed after January 2025
• Korean Premiere or higher premiere status required
• Korean Competition: limited to first or second feature films
• Korean Competition for Shorts, Non-Competition, and Local Cinema: no limit on number of directorial works
• Local Cinema: for directors/producers based in Jeonbuk State, students at Jeonbuk universities, or films with 50%+ shooting locations in Jeonbuk
• All genres accepted (documentary, fiction, experimental, animation)

For the full rules and regulations, see the official submission PDF. For inquiries, contact submission@jeonjufest.kr.

Key Sections

Competitive sections:

• International Competition - 10 first or second features from emerging filmmakers, all Asian premieres or higher, competing for the Grand Prize
• Korean Competition - 10 first or second features from Korean emerging directors, revealing present Korean society
• Korean Competition for Shorts - short films with aesthetic challenges

Non-competitive sections:

• JEONJU Cinema Project (JCP) - feature films financed and produced by JEONJU IFF (Note: the JCP Next Edition 2026 will not take place due to structural adjustments, but Project Development Support and Post-Production Support programs continue)
• Frontline - unique and imaginative films raising questions and innovative arguments
• World Cinema - the most significant fiction and documentary films of the year
• Masters - films from influential and celebrated directors
• Korean Cinema - trends in Korean filmmaking through new films or films achieving unique perfection
• Expanded Cinema - experimental films with innovative and original cinema language
• Cinema Fest - films offering both popular and artistic appeal across generations
• Midnight Cinema - genre films with radical imagination and free-spirited expression
• Cinephile JEONJU - restored films and films exploring the history of cinema
• Special Focus - retrospectives and special programs (2026: 1960s-70s New York underground cinema, Hong Kong independent cinema, tribute to Ahn Sung-ki, guest cinephile Pere Portabella)
• J Special: Programmer of the Year - section designed by guest programmers (2026: Byun Young-joo)

What Filmmakers Should Know

For International Filmmakers (First or Second Feature)

The International Competition is the primary entry point for non-Korean filmmakers. The restriction to first or second features means you are competing against peers at a similar career stage, not established directors. The 27th edition received 421 submissions from 70 countries, with the top five submitting countries being the United States (44 films, 10.5%), China (36, 8.6%), Japan (28, 6.7%), Canada (22, 5.2%), and Germany (19, 4.5%). Submissions from North America increased significantly in 2026.

Only 10 films are selected for the International Competition, making it highly selective. All selected films must be at least Asian premieres. The $30 submission fee is modest compared to major European festivals. Films are notified by March 31, giving selected filmmakers approximately one month to prepare for attendance.

For Korean Filmmakers

The Korean Competition is the most significant competitive platform for emerging Korean directors. The 26th edition received 165 Korean Competition submissions, 1,510 Korean Competition for Shorts submissions, 46 Local Cinema submissions, and 114 non-competition feature submissions, totaling 1,835 Korean film submissions. The 27th edition set a new overall record with 2,497 total submissions.

Korean filmmakers can submit through the festival's entry site rather than FilmFreeway. The Local Cinema section provides a dedicated platform for Jeonbuk-based filmmakers.

Industry Programs and the JEONJU Project

JEONJU Project is the festival's flagship industry program, supporting film projects across the entire filmmaking process from development to production and distribution. The 18th JEONJU Project was held over three days, May 3 to 5, 2026, and presented 18 awards. Programs include:

• JEONJU Lab - development grants for feature projects
• JEONJU Lab: Short - production support grants for short films
• Work-in-Progress - post-production support and distribution grants
• JICA Award - sponsored by the Jeonju IT and CT Industry Promotion Agency

The festival also supports overseas screenings of selected films at festivals including Vancouver, Hungarian Korean Film Festival, Singapore Korean Film Festival, and Berlin Korean Independent Film Festival.

Practical Considerations

Jeonju is approximately 190 kilometers south of Seoul, accessible by KTX train (about 2 hours). The city is known for its traditional hanok village architecture, cuisine (particularly bibimbap), and arts culture. The festival uses five venues across the city, including the Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do and Jeonbuk National University Samsung Arts Center. Opening and closing ceremony tickets cost KRW 20,000 each. Some screenings, including the awards ceremony, are free.

The festival's smaller scale compared to Busan creates a more intimate atmosphere with closer contact between filmmakers and audiences. Korean audiences for independent cinema are highly engaged and knowledgeable. The Possible Cinemas program, which highlights filmmakers working with limited resources, has been folded into the regular lineup as a permanent section.

Awards

The 27th JEONJU IFF presented 37 awards total: 19 from the festival competition and 18 from the JEONJU Project.

International Competition:

• Grand Prize - top award (2026 winner: The Night Is Fading Away, dir. Ezequiel Salinas and Ramiro Sonzini, Argentina)
• Best Film Prize (sponsored by NH Nonghyup) - (2026 winner: Chronovisor, dir. Jack Auen and Kevin Walker, United States)
• Special Jury Prize - (2026 winner: The Visitor, dir. Vytautas Katkus, Lithuania/Norway/Sweden)
• Special Mention - (2026 winner: Michiyuki: Voices of Time, dir. Nakao Hiromichi, Japan)

Korean Competition:

• Grand Prize (sponsored by FUJIFILM KOREA) - (2026 winner: The Summer That Slipped Away, dir. Lee Seonyeon)
• Special Jury Prize (sponsored by MALGNSOFT)
• NONGSHIM SHIN RAMYUN Award
• Best Actor Prize
• CGV Award

Korean Competition for Shorts:

• Grand Prize (sponsored by FUJIFILM KOREA)
• Best Director Prize (sponsored by Kyobo Life Insurance)
• Special Jury Prize (sponsored by Presbyterian Medical Center)
• Aero K Award

Additional awards:

• NETPAC Award - for best Asian film
• Cineteca Nacional Mexico Award
• J Vision Award (sponsored by Gang Dong O Cake Co.)
• FUJIFILM KOREA Award - for documentary
• Documentary Award (sponsored by Jin Motors)
• FIPRESCI Prize - from international film critics

The awards ceremony is held on May 5 at Jeonbuk National University Samsung Arts Center. Audience awards are also presented.

Festival History

JEONJU IFF was founded in 2000 by a group of Korean film professionals and cultural figures who wanted a festival dedicated to independent and alternative cinema, complementing the more commercially oriented Busan festival. The festival has maintained this identity consistently over 27 editions.

The JEONJU Cinema Project (formerly the Jeonju Digital Project) has been the festival's signature commissioning initiative, financing and producing feature films that premiere at the festival. For 2026, the JCP Next Edition was paused as part of a mid- to long-term structural transition, but Project Development Support and Post-Production Support programs continue with calls announced in December.

The 26th edition (2025) screened 224 films from 57 countries, including 98 Korean films (42 features, 56 shorts). The 27th edition (2026) expanded to 237 films from 54 countries with 78 world premieres, up 13 titles from the previous year. The festival has set submission records for two consecutive years, reaching 2,497 total submissions in 2026.

The 2026 edition pays tribute to the late actor Ahn Sung-ki with a showcase of seven lesser-known works from his career. Special programs also include a retrospective on 1960s and 1970s New York underground filmmakers (Robert Downey Sr., Jack Smith, Carolee Schneemann), a Hong Kong independent cinema showcase, and a guest cinephile program built around Spanish auteur Pere Portabella. Director Byun Young-joo (The Murmuring, Helpless) was named Programmer of the Year.

See Also

Use the Festival ROI Calculator to weigh the $30 submission fee against potential returns from attending. For festival strategy and selecting the right Asian festivals for your film, read Film Festival Strategy. For understanding the Korean film industry and distribution landscape, see International Film Markets. For the other major Korean film festival, see Busan International Film Festival.