‘Jeonju Independent Film House’ Promotion Committee Launched

Jeonju City Holds Appointment Ceremony for Construction Promotion Committee Members... Composed of Experts in Film, Architecture, and History Fields

[Jeonju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho] The city of Jeonju, which is focusing on becoming a video hub city, has gained momentum for the construction project of the ‘Jeonju Independent Film House’ through the activation of a promotion committee that includes experts in film, architecture, and history.

On the 20th, Jeonju held an appointment ceremony for the members of the Jeonju Independent Film House Construction Promotion Committee, composed of experts in film, architecture, and history, and held its first meeting.

In the film sector, six members were appointed to provide advice to ensure that Jeonju’s unique cinematic identity is reflected. These include Lee Jun-dong, Executive Director of the Jeonju International Film Festival Foundation; Park Heung-sik, Chairman of the Jeonju Film Commission; Jeong Sang-jin, Executive Director of the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival; Lee Seung-jin, Head of Film Arts at the Busan Cinema Center Foundation; Kim Eun-jung, Director of Jeonbuk Ilbo; and Seong Gi-seok, CEO of Humanities Space Passage, who participated in the basic planning of the Jeonju Independent Film House.

In the architecture sector, four experts will advise on the overall architecture of the Jeonju Independent Film House, including Choi Sin-hyun, Jeonju’s Chief Architect and Chief Landscape Architect; Lee Min, CEO of Lee Yoo Publishing, a professional architectural publishing company; Park Jun-ho, CEO of EAST4; and Lee Jin-oh, Director of the architectural office Sai.

For the history sector, which aims to embed Jeonju’s historical identity into the building, Professor Lee Dong-hee of Yewon Arts University, former director of the Jeonju History Museum, was appointed. Additionally, Lee Ki-dong, Chairman of the Jeonju City Council’s Steering Committee, and Seo Bae-won, Director of Jeonju’s Culture, Tourism, and Sports Bureau, will support the administrative aspects.

The promotion committee plans to continuously provide advice to ensure that the ‘Jeonju Independent Film House,’ which will function as a symbol of Jeonju as a city of independent films, is built solidly, reflecting Jeonju’s cultural and cinematic values.

The Jeonju Independent Film House construction project has been underway since late 2017 with the goal of establishing a virtuous cycle ecosystem for independent and art films, balancing the video industry ecosystem concentrated in the metropolitan area, Seoul, the southeastern region, and Busan, and fostering Jeonju as the third video hub city representing the southwestern region.

So far, Jeonju completed the purchase of the current Okto parking lot site (Gosa-dong), located in the core area of Jeonju’s Film Street, in February, and in June passed the local finance investment review, steadily proceeding with administrative procedures.

Full-scale construction is scheduled to begin next year, with completion expected in 2024.

Jeonju Mayor Kim Seung-su emphasized, “The Jeonju Independent Film House construction project, the beating heart of film running 24/7, is becoming concrete,” adding, “Once the Jeonju Independent Film House, a long-cherished wish of the Jeonju International Film Festival for 20 years, is established, Jeonju will emerge as a mecca for domestic and international independent films and a film and video industry city with international competitiveness.”

Jeonju=Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho stonepeak@asiae.co.kr