The 8th Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF) has released its full program of film screenings and live music events for 2012. From August 9-15, under the slogan of “Just One More Step,” this year’s edition of JIMFF will screen over 100 films from 27 different countries across eight sections in addition to offering nightly music festivities in picturesque North Chungcheon Province nearby famous Cheongpung Lake. 20 Korean films will screen across two sections, Korean Music Film Now and the Jecheon Film Music Honorary Award Special.

 

This year’s opening film will be the UK/Sweden feature <Searching for Sugar Man> from director Malik BENDJELLOUL, which counts among its accolades a World Cinema Special Jury Prize and the Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The film follows two fans investigating the whereabouts of an obscure American rock musician from the 1970’s whose music has suddenly become famous abroad.

 

World Music Film Today is JIMFF’s sole competitive section, and will this year feature eight films. A Grand Prize of KRW 10 million (USD $8,800) and a Special Jury Prize of KRW 5 million (USD $4,400) will be awarded within the section. The films span many genres and topics, from the USA/Mexico drama <Mariachi Gringo>, which follows an adventurous American as he travels into Mexico to become a mariachi singer, to Brazilian documentary <Tropicalia>, which examines that country’s 1960’s cultural-musical phenomenon of the same name. While no Korean films will compete, the Belgian documentary <The Mystery of Music Korea> was selected, which investigates the exponential increase in Korean students competing at Western classical music performance competitions that has occurred over the past two decades. The Grand Prize winner will also screen as the fest’s closing film.

 

Regarding the festival’s Korean selections, seven feature-length films, four mid-length films and six shorts will be presented in the Korean Music Film Now section. Among the works are both a short film, <Fragments of Sweet Memories>, and a feature, <The Peach Tree>, directed by popular actress KOO Hye-sun. <The Peach Tree> made its debut at last year’s Busan International Film Festival. Also included is <The Origin of K-Pop>, a documentary from KIM Dae-hyun that investigates Korean “adaptations” of Western pop songs during the 1960’s, and YOO Dae-eol’s short film <Etude, Solo>, which was the opening film at last year’s Asiana International Short Film Festival.

 

Rounding out JIMFF’s Korean films will be HUR Jin-ho’s <One Fine Spring Day>, OH Ki-hwan’s <Last Present> and KIM Tae-yong’s <Memento Mori> -- all part of a retrospective on film composer CHO Sung-woo, who will receive the Jecheon Film Music Honorary Award. CHO has worked on sound design, production and music for nearly 60 Korean films, including <Christmas in August>, <Nowhere to Hide>, <The Duelist> and <Late Autumn>.

 

JIMFF began in 2005 and has a new chairperson this year in OH Dong-jin. In addition to its film program, it hosts nightly live music events and special concerts on its weekend dates. It also runs the Jecheon International Music & Film Academy and operates a number of other talent development and film support programs aimed at those interested in the boundaries between film and music. Full details and festival ticketing information can be found at: http://www.jimff.org/