JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF)

What JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF) does

JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF) is a non-profit film festival organization founded in 2000, headquartered at the JEONJU Cine Complex in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea, with a secondary Seoul office. The festival operates annually over a 10-day window (the 27th edition ran April 29 – May 8, 2026) and screens films from approximately 67 countries across multiple competition sections (International Competition, Korean Competition, Korean Competition for Shorts) and curated programs (World Cinema, Masters, Korean Cinema, Expanded Cinema, Midnight Cinema, Cinema Fest, Cinephile JEONJU, plus special focus sections). Beyond screenings, the festival runs the JEONJU Cinema Project (18th edition), a film development initiative supporting emerging filmmakers with production backing, and a portfolio of program events including master classes, the JEONJU Forum, and live film performances.

The festival's digital infrastructure includes a web-based ticketing platform with tiered seat codes (GV, E, KKE, HK), a dedicated badge/accreditation portal (badge.jeonjufest.kr), a film submission entry portal (entry.jeonjufest.kr), a digital archive (eng-archive.jeonjufest.kr) preserving past editions, the JEONJU Review editorial platform, and the 100 Films 100 Posters sub-brand. The festival also maintains a barrier-free (WITHBOM) screening program with audio descriptions for visually impaired audiences.

Revenue is generated across four primary streams: ticket sales (tiered per-screening pricing), membership and supporter programs (JEONJU IFF Members), sponsorships (at least 16+ visible corporate and institutional sponsors including FUJIFILM KOREA), and badge/accreditation fees for industry professionals. Customers span five segments: film enthusiasts and the general public, filmmakers and industry professionals, corporate and institutional sponsors, film scholars and the academic community, and accessibility-focused audiences. The festival is represented by Woo Beom-gi and operates as a privately held non-profit with no disclosed parent company, funding rounds, or external investors.

Name

JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF)

Legal name

전주국제영화제조직위원회 (Jeonju International Film Festival Committee)

Website

https://eng.jeonjufest.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF) is a non-profit, annual 10-day film festival founded in 2000 in Jeonju, South Korea, currently in its 27th edition, serving general audiences, filmmakers, and industry professionals through competition sections, curated programs, and the JEONJU Cinema Project development initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Content Exhibition (Live Broadcasts, Concert Films, Sports, Opera) (MPADAKAG)

Keywords

• International film festival
• Independent cinema screenings
• Film exhibition events
• Cinema competition programs
• Cultural film programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Jeonju-si

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The festival sells individual screening tickets to the public through its website and at-the-door. Tickets are priced per screening with tiered seat categories (e.g., GV, E, KKE, HK designations corresponding to different screen/price tiers).
2. Membership/Supporter Programs: JEONJU IFF operates a membership program ('JEONJU IFF Members') providing registered members with email services, online pre-ticket services, and supporter benefits. The membership was historically linked to Hankyoreh for co-branded supporter services.
3. Sponsorships and Partnerships: The festival is sponsored by multiple corporate partners (FUJIFILM KOREA, and at least 16 other sponsor logos visible in the footer). Sponsors appear across categories including government bodies, cultural organizations, and commercial enterprises.
4. Badge/Accreditation System: The festival sells badge/accreditation packages (badge.jeonjufest.kr) providing access to screenings, events, and festival facilities for industry professionals and enthusiasts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

JEONJU IFF operates an annual 10-day international film festival held each spring in Jeonju, South Korea, screening hundreds of independent, world, and Korean films across multiple competition and curated program sections. The festival combines ticketed public screenings at 7+ venues, the JEONJU Cinema Project for emerging filmmakers, parallel program events (master classes, talks, live film performances), and supporting digital services including online ticketing, badge accreditations, and a digital archive of past editions.

Product overview

JEONJU International Film Festival is a single, unified annual cultural event (currently in its 27th edition) that combines multiple program sections and parallel activities. The core offering is the film festival itself with competition categories (International Competition, Korean Competition, Korean Competition for Shorts) and curated programs (World Cinema, Masters, Korean Cinema, Expanded Cinema, Midnight Cinema, Cinephile JEONJU). Supporting offerings include the JEONJU Project for emerging filmmakers, Program Events (Master Class, Cinema Conversation, Live Film Performance, JEONJU Talk! Talk!), and digital services for ticketing, badge accreditation, film submission, and archival access. The 100 Films 100 Posters initiative operates as a related sub-brand with its own platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JEONJU International Film Festival (Annual Festival Edition) Annual 10-day international film festival featuring competition sections (International Competition, Korean Competition, Korean Competition for Shorts), curated programs (World Cinema, Masters, Korean Cinema, Expanded Cinema, Cinema Fest, Midnight Cinema, Cinephile JEONJU), and special focus sections. Open to general public and industry attendees via ticketed screenings held across multiple venues in Jeonju.
• JEONJU Cinema Project Annual film development initiative supporting independent and emerging filmmakers through competition, awards, and production backing. Now in its 18th edition, winners are announced during the festival. Targeted at emerging Korean and international filmmakers seeking project development support.
• JEONJU IFF Badge / Accreditation Industry and enthusiast badge/accreditation package providing access to screenings, events, and festival facilities across the 10-day festival. Sold via dedicated online portal (badge.jeonjufest.kr). Targeted at film industry professionals, press, and serious festival attendees.
• 100 Films 100 Posters Special program initiative featuring curated film posters with its own microsite (100films100posters.com), operated as a sub-brand alongside the festival. Targets cinephiles and design-minded audiences.
• JEONJU IFF Membership Registered membership program providing email updates, online pre-ticket services, and supporter benefits. Targeted at engaged cinephiles and repeat festival attendees.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27 editions of continuous operation since founding, making it one of Korea's most established film festivals
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FUJIFILM KOREAcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026FUJIFILM KOREA is a named sponsor of JEONJU IFF, evidenced by the 'FUJIFILM KOREA Award' presented at the festival. The partnership provides branding visibility and naming rights for an award category, while positioning FUJIFILM KOREA within Korea's film and cultural ecosystem.
• M+ (Hong Kong)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerM+ museum in Hong Kong is a key partner in JEONJU IFF's programming, notably for the 'Back to Hong Kong: Cinema + Avant-garde' section and the 'Private Revolutions, Public Spaces: Works from the M+ Asian Avant-Garde Film Collection' program event. M+ also supported the restoration of Mary Stephen's 'Shades of Silk' (Ombres de soie) and programs featuring curator Chanel Kong.
• Harvard Film ArchivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarvard Film Archive collaborated with JEONJU IFF on the 'Harvard Film Archive Shorts: Landscape Cinema, Beyond the Sublime' program in the Cinephile JEONJU section, showcasing curated works from Harvard's collection.
• Grasshopper FilmminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrasshopper Film is listed as a film source for screenings at JEONJU IFF (e.g., Nadja restoration contact), indicating a distribution/rights relationship for presenting restored and specialty films.
• Korean Film ArchiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Korean Film Archive is a film source for JEONJU IFF screenings (e.g., 'Bitter and Sweet' sourced from Korean Film Archive). The relationship involves providing access to archive prints for festival screenings.
• Instituto Cervantes de SeúlminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInstituto Cervantes de Seúl is listed as a sponsor for Pere Portabella's 'Vampir-Cuadecuc' screening at JEONJU IFF's 'Guest Cinephile: Pere Portabella' program, supporting Spanish/cultural film programming.
• Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorElectronic Arts Intermix is listed as the film source for Carolee Schneemann's 'Viet-Flakes' and 'Snows' screenings, indicating a rights/distribution relationship for avant-garde and experimental film programming.
• Arbelos FilmsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArbelos Films, known for restoring works including Satantango and Nadja, restored the 35mm print of 'Nadja' in 4K for screening at JEONJU IFF. The relationship involves providing restored prints for festival presentation.
• HankyorehminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHistorically, Hankyoreh was partnered with JEONJU IFF for linked-services between festival Supporter members and Hankyoreh members, providing cross-promotional membership benefits (referenced in the Privacy Policy dated 2008).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights12 records

Broad incumbents

• Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF): A leading North American international film festival with an industry market and audience programming approach that parallels JEONJU IFF's competition-plus-curated-program model. A benchmark peer for international reach and sponsor monetization, though at materially greater scale.
• Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale): One of the 'Big Three' European film festivals with substantially greater scale, budget and industry standing. Comparable as an international film festival exhibitor operating competition, retrospectives and industry markets, but operates from a global incumbent position.

Others

• Korean Film Archive (KOFA): National film archive that supplies archival prints and rights for retrospectives and special screenings at festivals. Already an active distribution/rights partner for JEONJU IFF, and a comparable cultural-institution peer in preserving and exhibiting Korean and world cinema heritage.
• Korean Film Council (KOFIC): Korean state-backed film industry body that channels public funding into festivals and Korean film exports. Not a direct competitor but a key enabler, partner and policy counterparty for JEONJU IFF's programming, archive work and emerging-talent initiatives.

Direct peers

• Tokyo International Film Festival: Japan's leading international film festival, accredited by FIAPF. Operates similar competition and curated programming structures to JEONJU IFF, competing for Asian film premieres, industry guests and sponsor visibility in the East Asian festival market.
• Locarno Film Festival: Mid-sized European festival with a strong identity around independent, avant-garde and auteur cinema — a curatorial orientation closely aligned with JEONJU IFF's independent and expanded cinema sections. Comparable in scale, programming philosophy and mid-tier international positioning.
• Busan International Film Festival: Korea's largest and most prominent international film festival, held annually in Busan. Direct competitor for Korean and Asian film premieres, industry guests, sponsors, and press attention, and the principal alternative destination for filmmakers targeting Korea.
• Shanghai International Film Festival: Major Chinese international film festival with competition sections, industry events and audience programming. A direct Asian peer competing for Chinese and pan-Asian film premieres, sponsors and industry attendance.
• Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF): Long-running Asian international film festival with comparable programming depth across competition, retrospectives, and industry events. Competes with JEONJU IFF for regional filmmakers, Asian cinema audiences, and Hong Kong/Asian institutional partnerships.
• Vilnius International Film Festival 'Kino Pavasaris': Smaller international film festival operating a multi-competition, multi-section program with industry accreditation and audience ticketing. Comparable to JEONJU IFF as a mid-tier international festival with strong regional identity and independent/arthouse programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jeonjuiff

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF)