Chinese entries lead with 91 films among 328 Asian submissions
Jeonju International Film Festival has received 662 submissions from 86 countries for its upcoming International Competition, organizers announced Wednesday.
Asian films dominated the entries with 328 submissions, followed by Europe (269) and North America (110). China led individual countries with 91 entries, while India and Iran submitted 65 and 48 films, respectively.
Narrative films made up the majority with 380 entries, while 212 documentaries were submitted. The festival also received 50 experimental films, five animated features and 15 entries in other categories.
"Though total submissions dipped slightly, the number of films qualifying for preliminary judging has increased this year," said Jun Jin-soo, the festival programmer. "The surge in Asian submissions is worth noting. We aim to showcase ambitious works from emerging directors worldwide despite challenges the industry faces."
Founded in 2000, Jeonju International Film Festival stands as one of South Korea's leading film festivals, championing independent and experimental cinema as a key platform for emerging global talents.
The International Competition section focuses on first and second-time directors presenting Asian premieres. Ten finalists will compete at the festival, which is set to run from April 30 to May 9, 2025.
Last year's Grand Prize went to Pokropek's "The Major Tones," a Spanish-language fantasy that follows a 14-year-old girl who discovers that a metal plate in her prosthetic arm is receiving messages in Morse code.
The festival continues to accept submissions for its Korean Competition and Short Film sections until Jan. 31 and Jan. 17, respectively.
