The COVID-19 pandemic has brought huge changes to all areas of the film industry, from investment to production, distribution, and screening. Although the disaster affected everyone, the extent of the affect was not the same, putting independent and art films in greater trouble compared to commercial films. For this reason, this year’s JEONJU Conference aims to examine the possibilities of Korean independent and art films from a new perspective under the theme of ‘Better Tomorrow Than Yesterday, Dreaming of Expanding Cinema.’ Through ‘Public Fund and Independent Cinema,’ we examine the public support policies that have had a decisive influence on the investment and production of Korean independent and art films, and analyze what needs to be improved in line with changes in the film industry. The ‘Public Fund and Film School’ session looks back on the history of the Korea Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), which was founded in 1984 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and reexamines the role of public institutions in the field of film education. In particular, we hope to examine the reason for the loosened link between the academy and the industry, unlike in the past when the academy produced leading filmmakers in the Korean film industry, and discuss possible improvement measures in cooperation with the outside world, such as industry-university cooperation programs. The third session ‘Cinema Dives into the IP Universe’ discusses intellectual property, the source of creation. With experts in the IP field, this session is a case study with lectures and Q&As, providing an in-depth look into the possibility of independent films as creative sources, the importance of creative worlds in the IP industry, and the methods of commercializing IPs that creators and producers should be aware of.

The program for the second day of the JEONJU Conference was designed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the JEONJU Cinema Project (JCP). The first session, ‘Ten Years of the JEONJU Cinema Project: Time to Change’ looks at the history of the JCP and seeks improvement measures to further develop the project as JEONJU IFF’s representative program. Taking this 10th year as a turning point for the JCP, this session aims to discuss the next ten years for the JCP and touch on the changes and improvements to be made. In the following roundtable session, Korean and non-Korean filmmakers who have taken part in the JCP to share the joys and sorrows of making independent and art films. This will provide an opportunity to hear about the difficulties of making films, which can be called the ‘art of money,’ independently, artistically, and experimentally, as well as the appeal of filmmaking that attracts creators despite such difficulties. Lastly, in the ‘The Role of Film Festivals in the Endemic Era’ session, the participants will discuss film festivals’ role for the independent, art, and experimental films which are in a crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from film festivals’ role as platforms to introduce new films, professionals working for film festivals in Korea and around the world will come together to explore the roles that film festivals can play for film investments and productions, training of film professionals, production support, and film distribution.

We hope that JEONJU Conference 2023 will be a platform where independent and art film creators, producers, film festival staffers, policy makers, and other professionals in the film industry dream of and hope for the future and the expansion of independent and art films.