Announcing 26th JEONJU International Film Festival’s Official Award Winners
International Competition
Grand Prize
Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) (Joel Alfonso VARGAS)
Best Picture Prize (Sponsored by NH Nonghyup)
Always (CHEN Deming)
Special Jury Prize
Resistance Reels (Alejandro ALVARADO JÓDAR, Concha BARQUERO ARTÉS)
Korean Competition
Grand Prize (Sponsored by FUJIFILM ELECTRONIC IMAGING KOREA)
Winter Light (CHO Hyun-suh)
NONGSHIM SHINRAMYUN Award
Summer's Camera (Divine SUNG)
Distribution Support Prize (Sponsored by JIWON)
3670 (PARK Joonho)
Best Actor Prize
SON So-ra All Is Well, I Love You. as So-ra
KIM Hyeonmok 3670 as Yeong-jun
CGV Award
3670 (PARK Joonho)
Watcha’s Award
3670 (PARK Joonho)
Special Mention for the Director
Where is My Father? (KIM Taeyun)
Korean Competition for Shorts
Grand Prize (Sponsored by FUJIFILM ELECTRONIC IMAGING KOREA)
mistletoe (HWANG Hyeonjee)
Best Director Prize (Sponsored by Kyobo Life Insurance)
SLOWLY (KIM Haejin)
Special Jury Prize
A Pear Tree In The Star Village (SHIN Yul)
Special Mention
In Our Day (KIM Soyeon)
Special Award
NETPAC Award
Black Ox (TSUTA Tetsuichiro)
Documentary Award (Sponsored by Jin Motors)
Edhi Alice: REVERSE (KIM Ilrhan)
Cineteca Nacional México Award
Home Behind Bars (CHA Jeong-yoon)
J Vision Award
The Burglars (KIM Taehwi)
The 26th JEONJU IFF: Jury Statement
The jury statements for the 26th JEONJU International Film Festival are as follows.
■ International Competition
The jury commends the programming of the International Competition section, which took us across the globe via a kaleidoscope of cinematic invention. Despite the different stories on offer, we recognised throughout the section the leitmotif of people seeking connection in an often-alienating modern world.
It is inspiring to encounter these first- and second-time filmmakers along and express our admiration for them all, but we can only bestow three prizes.
: Mad Bills to Pay (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) (Joel Alfonso VARGAS)
With its documentary elements, its assured embracing of the elliptical and captivating performances, the film is even more remarkable as it is a directorial debut. We also love the title!
: Always (CHEN Deming)
The jury was captivated by this masterly portrait of a family in rural Hunan, revealing a state of grace, framed by a child’s indelible poetry.
: Resistance Reels (Alejandro ALVARADO JÓDAR, Concha BARQUERO ARTÉS)
The film is a cine-excavation which considers the painful memories of Franco’s dictatorship through the prism of a film seemingly lost to history.
■ Korean Competition
These ten films reminded us that, whatever losses we carry, whatever loves have gone unfulfilled, and however much society silences our cries, cinema is still a force of light—and it will thrive, as long as filmmakers dare to share what’s truly their own.
: Winter Light (CHO Hyun-suh)
A film that opens in shadow and closes in the pale winter light, carried by a silent melancholy and a gentle restraint in confronting life’s harsh truths. This is cinema, and the quiet promise of films yet to come. We award the Grand Prize to Winter Light by CHO Hyun-suh.
: Summer's Camera (Divine SUNG)
Summer's Camera, which depicts a girl going through an inflection point of growth, was a work with cinematic perfection, using cinematic ideas and images in an efficient and unified manner. We support the director to explore and embody his own uniqueness more challenging and fierce in future works.
: 3670 (PARK Joonho)
With sensitivity and specificity, this compelling drama explores the many forms that freedom assumes as its protagonist explores self-determination while striving for self-actualization. An open-hearted work that dexterously shifts between delicately rendered restraint and precisely calibrated melodrama, Park Joonho’s 3670 is the winner of this year’s Distribution Support Prize(sponsored by JIWON)
SON So-ra for All Is Well, I Love You. as So-ra
Eschewing any semblance of theatricality, this is a delightfully naturalistic turn in which inquisitive looks and pregnant pauses frequently convey volumes. For her affecting reminder that a performance needn’t be demonstrative to prove utterly entrancing, the jury recognizes Son Sora of All Is Well, I Love You. with a Best Actor Prize.
KIM Hyeonmok for 3670 as Yeong-jun
In 3670, actors Cho Youhyun and Kim Hyeonmok showed charming chemistry. Cho Youhyun was also excellent, but the vibrancy, longing, and anxiety that Kim brought into his work were also considered valuable contributions, so we chose Kim Hyeonmok as the winner after much consideration. We applaud their teamwork.
: 3670 (PARK Joonho)
3670 delicately explores shifting feelings of belonging through the character of Cheol-jun, who stands at the intersection of two marginalized communities—North Korean defectors and sexual minorities. By telling a story about the “secrets” we all carry and the deep human desire to belong, the film evokes a universal sense of empathy that transcends specific identities.
: 3670 (PARK Joonho)
While portraying the story of a protagonist who is both a North Korean defector and a sexual minority, the film avoids self-pity or didactic social messaging, instead taking an impressive approach by focusing on personal growth and love. The nuanced emotional performances by the two lead actors are particularly striking, leaving a lasting impression and allowing the protagonist’s story to linger long after the film ends.
: Where is My Father? (KIM Taeyun)
■ Korean Competition for Shorts
This year’s Korean Competition for Shorts showcased a powerful interplay between socially charged questions drawn from the fractures of our times and a delicate gaze turned toward personal memory. Within the concentrated form of the short film, a wide range of rich and tightly woven narratives unfolded. These works encompassed personal confessions, portraits of communities, and attempts to sensitively capture the textures of Korean society—reminding us once again that short films remain one of the most vibrant arenas for urgent cinematic inquiry.
: mistletoe (HWANG Hyeonjee)
The delicate theme of caregiving for someone facing the end of life was handled with a cautious and warm perspective, leaving a profound impression. The narrative moved through multiple layers, showcasing fresh attempts, while the actors' quiet yet solid performances firmly anchored the film. The creator's concerns and attitude were clearly conveyed through the camera, and the film confronts the audience with unresolved questions, offering a depth that transcends the short film format.
: SLOWLY (KIM Haejin)
The film stood out for its imaginative concept, brought to life through meticulous detail and precise direction that captured the subtle emotional currents between characters. Its symbolic structure built emotion and narrative with remarkable solidity, leaving a lasting resonance in every scene. The director’s keen sensibility and distinctive perspective make this work a compelling promise of what’s to come.
: A Pear Tree In The Star Village (SHIN Yul)
Within a world shaped by layered coincidences, the filmmaker’s intention to capture the gem-like moments of everyday life through a unique perspective felt warm and sincere. Unbound by conventional storytelling, the narrative flowed freely, guided by honest emotion and authenticity—allowing a quiet but lingering resonance to emerge. It is a grounded work where profound emotions dwell within a seemingly small story, leaving a lasting impression.
: In Our Day (KIM Soyeon)
■ Special Award
: Black Ox (TSUTA Tetsuichiro)
Black Ox unfolds in a nonlinear, poetic, and cinematic manner, shedding light on the interconnectedness between humans, animals, and nature. The film stands out for the director’s insightful exploration of humanity and the world, and we commend the imaginative use of sound, color, aspect ratio, and the fluid boundaries of time and space.
: Edhi Alice: REVERSE (KIM Ilrhan)
Watching a film means encountering the world through a director’s eyes. A great film allows the director’s thoughts or emotions to be transferred to the audience—or sometimes even rejected—prompting questions and opening a space for reflection. Looking into someone’s life can have a similar effect as watching a film, and in this sense, filmmaking becomes an act of constructing a life.
In Edhi Alice: REVERSE, we meet two individuals striving to achieve harmony in their lives. Amid the exhausting yet unavoidable tension between their desired way of living and prevailing social perceptions, they endeavor to shape their everyday existence with intention and grace. However, the protagonists are not the only central figures in this story. The third, often overlooked, presence is the director—the one who observes them and immortalizes their stories within the history of cinema.
Director Kim Ilrhan has long explored the human condition within the context of socio-political change, consistently seeking to align her artistic inquiries with the values of community and solidarity. In this new work, she finds a moment where belief, practice, and life converge in harmony. As the film shifts from one character to the next, it gestures toward the possibility of transforming into an entirely different film. We hope more people will join this journey toward a new life and new cinematic possibilities. (Sung MOON)
: Home Behind Bars (CHA Jeong-yoon)
For the third time, Cineteca Nacional México presents its award at the JEONJU International Film Festival. We are committed to both promoting Korean cinema and supporting emerging talent, which is why we have once again chosen a debut feature: Home Behind Bars by Cha Jeong-yoon. We are proud to accompany its theatrical release in Mexico. Set in an all-female universe and within the challenging environment of prison life, the film sensitively portrays a network of care among women, diverse expressions of motherhood, and the emotional distances that are often deeper than the physical ones.
: The Burglars (KIM Taehwi)
This year’s J Vision Award goes to director Kim Taehwi’s The Burglars. Centered on two elderly individuals who, in the twilight of their lives, team up to break into empty houses, the film blends a bold premise with heartfelt warmth, delivering a touching and uplifting experience. Director Kim portrays these so-called “delinquent seniors,” who remain honest about their desires despite their age, with deep affection and nuance. The masterful performances by Ki Joobong and Jung Aehwa bring a radiant charm to the film.
