The Jeonju International Film Festival kicks off in South Korea this week.
The event's organizers are proud to give some South Korean rookie directors a chance to debut their first works on the silver screen.
Lee Min-sun had the opportunity to meet with some of the up-and-coming crop of film makers and files this report.
The 20th Jeonju International Film Festival gives an insight into the future of Korean film through the work of some of the country's up-and-coming directors.
Ten films were selected from 104 for the festival and these films represent a recent trend of Korean independent films which focus on the younger generations' frustration and worries for their future.
Park Ju-young's first film 'Goodbye Summer', tells the story of teenagers' friendship, love, and life. The director tries to shed light on the importance of time through a character who is terminally ill but nevertheless tries to find happiness and love by fully focusing on the present.
"I think my film is something that audiences can sit back and enjoy, a bit different from recent Korean independent films that were more subtle and serious. I think audiences will have fun finding a hidden story within it."
'Own Way' directed by Kim Song-mi is a documentary film about a group of young people trying to create an experimental community in a small city to find answers to their questions about relationships and society.
"As a filmmaker, I questioned a lot about whether I fit in Korea's mainstream society. And I thought it would be great to have a community where people like me can be part of and I hoped to find an answer through the documentary film."
For emerging directors like Park and Kim, these festivals are a chance to showcase their work and find inspiration.
"I hope this movie will help make myself more known as a credible filmmaker...and hope there will be more systematic support for directors to focus on movie making."
"Every day, I have the desire to create something and the topic changes all the time. But these days I want to focus on the lives of women in Korean society and to investigate me as an individual."
An award ceremony for the featured films will be held on May 8th and the festival will wrap up on the 11th.
Lee Min-sun, Arirang News.
