"The World Seen from the Village" as the Festival Slogan
Jangsu County in North Jeolla Province announced on October 14 that the 4th Jangsu Mountain Village Film Festival (JMVFF) will be held from October 16 to 19 in Gusin Village, a small mountain village located in Cheoncheon-myeon.
The Jangsu Mountain Village Film Festival, led by Director Kim Soman, welcomes audiences under the slogan "The World Seen from the Village," presenting films that capture diverse perspectives from around the globe.
This year’s festival received a record-breaking 2,184 film submissions from 173 countries over a period of about two months. Following a preliminary review, 24 films from 18 countries were selected as the final screening lineup, allowing audiences to experience a variety of films from around the world in the mountain village setting.
The opening ceremony will take place at 7:00 p.m. on October 16 at the unique "Somak Theater (Lounge So)" in Gusin Village, Cheoncheon-myeon, Jangsu County. The opening film will be "Cent Douze" (65 minutes) from Togo, Africa.
"Cent Douze" tells the story of a village that was once the terminus of a 112 km railway line, where everything comes to a halt when train operations suddenly cease. The film explores themes of regional decline and community recovery, which are expected to resonate deeply with the mountain villages of Jangsu.
Notably, this year’s festival will offer a richer selection of special screenings, including four films from the Korea National University of Arts Special Program, four youth video productions from Jangsu, two entries from the Sunchang Children and Youth Film Festival, and a documentary chronicling 40 years of Jangsu apples, for a total of 11 special screenings.
Director Kim Soman stated, "A total of 2,184 films from 173 countries were submitted to this small village film festival, and we selected 24 works from 17 countries as the final screening lineup. I hope this festival provides a unique cultural experience where you can encounter the diverse lives and cultures of countries around the world."
County Governor Choi Hunsik said, "I hope this film festival will be a meaningful opportunity to encounter the diverse lives and cultures of the world. We will continue to actively support communication and exchange through film, so that it can become a new driving force for local culture in Jangsu County."
Meanwhile, the festival has been renamed from the previous "Seopbatdeul Mountain Village Film Festival" to the "Jangsu Mountain Village Film Festival" this year. Detailed screening schedules and program information for the 4th Jangsu Mountain Village Film Festival can be found on the festival’s official website.
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