The 22nd Jecheon International Music & Film Festival wrapped up its six-day run. JIMFF, built around the theme of music meeting film, is Korea's only international film festival dedicated to music, held every summer in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province.
The closing ceremony was held Tuesday at the Jecheon Arts Center, hosted by broadcaster Song Eun-i and actor Han Ye-ri. Organizers announced the winners of the International Music Film Competition and International Competition. They also revealed the winners of Music Insight, the competition for Korean feature film composers, and New Talent, the competition for rookie film composers.
The International Music Film Competition's grand prize went to "The Loneliest Man in the City," directed by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel. The jury called it "a melancholic yet warm and restrained work that speaks of one man's unwavering conviction to hold onto dreams, hope, modernity and a world that is inevitably fading away."
Director Frimmel, referring to tenor Choi Seung-won's rendition of "My Way" during the opening performance that day, said, "Two unexpected things happened to me here in Jecheon. One is winning this award, and the other is hearing the best 'My Way' since Frank Sinatra."
The International Competition's grand prize went to "Gilgamesh's Dream," directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji. The jury said the film is "a work that contemplates life from the point closest to death, and asks what must be preserved to the very end to remain human."
"We wanted to dedicate this film to those who lost their lives to war, and to all the children of the world," said Ali Al-Daradji, who produced the film.
The Music Insight award, for Korean feature film composers, went to music director Kim Joon-seok, who scored director Kang Hyung-chul's "Hi-Five." Judges praised how the music and songs built an imaginative world and brought out the personalities and appeal of the film's characters.
The New Talent Showbox Award, for rookie film composers, was given to music director Cho Eun for the score of director Yoo So-young's documentary "Gongsuni." Cho said, "I see this award as encouragement and love sent to rookie music directors, and I will keep growing as a film composer."
Alongside this, the jury's special mention went to music director Choi So-ri for director Park Jung-soo's short film, "Seoreul Damgo."
The 22nd JIMFF ran for six days, from Thursday to Tuesday, across Jecheon. This year's festival brought audiences 189 films from 51 countries and performances by 37 teams. It also featured a range of programs, including screenings, concerts, talks, exhibitions, the Jecheon Film Music Academy and the Jecheon Music Film Market.
Amid a large turnout of filmmakers from Korea and abroad, director Park Chan-wook drew attention at the opening ceremony by appearing as a presenter of the Jecheon Film Music Award.
balme@heraldcorp.com
