Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (21)

Festival start: 04 September 2025      Festival end: 09 September 2025

The 21st Jecheon International Music & Film Festival will take place from 4th to 9th of September, 2025 in Jecheon City, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea.

Since its inception in 2005, the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF) has grown to become one of Asia’s leading music-themed film festivals.

The festival continues to gain popularity among both film enthusiasts and music lovers alike.

JIMFF is dedicated to recognizing and supporting creative filmmakers and musicians from around the world, with the aim of cultivating a dynamic space where music and cinema come together.

The Jecheon International Music & Film Festival is organized by the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival Executive Committee.

1) Award Categories
Films selected for the International Competition will be evaluated by the International Jury, and the following prize will be awarded:
Grand Prize | KRW 20,000,000 (approx. USD 14,000) | Awarded to the Director

Films selected for the Music InSight will be evaluated by the Festival Jury, and the following prize will be awarded:
Music InSight | KRW 20,000,000 | Awarded to the Film Music Director and/or Composor

Films selected for the New Talent will be evaluated by the Festival Jury, and the following prize will be awarded:
New Talent | KRW 10,000,000 | Awarded to the Film Music Director and/or Composor

※ If multiple winners are selected in a single category, the prize money will be equally divided among them.

2) The Jury
The Jury for each competition section will consist of at least more than three prominent representatives of film, music, culture and industries such as filmmakers, musicians, producers worldwide, and the Jury Members will be established by Jecheon International Music & Film Festival.

■ Film Program
Official selections by the Festival’s Committee will be screened under the sections below;

Competition Section

1) International Competition
An official international competition section for the feature-length film (more than 50 mins), the section introduces the latest films across all genres in which music plays a central role.

2) Music InSight
A section that recognizes creative and innovative original scores and film music from Korean feature-length films produced in the previous year, selected by alumni of the Jecheon International Music & Film Academy.

3) New Talent
A Korean competition section dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging film music talents, open to all films regardless of genre, format, length, or subject matter.

Non-Competition Section

1) Tribute
A program that highlights the masters, collectives, and works that have driven significant movements in film and music, bridging eras through the timeless power of art.

2) Music Film Landscape
A section that explores the landscape of contemporary music films across diverse themes and formats, highlighting how music and sound inspires cinematic imagination and expands the boundaries of expression.

3) JIMFF Family
A program that fosters a meaningful cinematic space where diverse generations and communities come together to participate, share, and communicate.


■ Entry

1) Entry deadline : 10 May, 2025, 23:59 (KST)

2) Films of every nationality, genre and duration are eligible for submission; however, all submissions to JIMFF2025must be completed on or after January 1, 2023. Submissions that do not meet the eligibility criteria for each section, lack of required documents, or fail to comply with the submission guidelines will not be considered for selection.

◯ Eligibility Criteria for Each Section
All formats and genres of films, including fiction, documentary, animation, experimental, and others, completed on or after January 1, 2023.

- International Competition
Various genres of Music Film that place music and sound at the center of narrative and structure. Feature-length films with at least Korean premiere status only.

- New Talent
Films include those featuring a music director or composer’s first or second music work for a Korean Film. Open to All length films.

- Non- Competition Section
Various genres of Music Film that place music and sound at the center of narrative and structure. Open to All length films.

- Made In Jecheon
All films based in the Chungcheongbuk-do region. Open to All length films.

* Applicants must submit proof of eligibility based on their affiliation with the Chungcheongbuk-do region.

3) Based on running time, a feature-length film is 50 minutes and/or more, and a short is less than 50 minutes.

4) Only feature-length films that have never been shown previously in Korea (at least Korean Premiere Status) will be considered for International Competition Section.

5) Films that are produced or co-produced in accordance with Article 2 of the PROMOTION OF THE MOTION PICTURES AND VIDEO PRODUCTS ACT shall be classified as Korean films. However, exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival.

6) No submission fee is required to apply to the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival.

7) Entry Guide
- Entrant must fill in the requested entry form and must complete to upload Preview Screener, before 23:59 (KST) 10 May 2025.

- How to submit Preview Screener;

• Upload preview screener of each film on online streaming services (e.g. Vimeo, Youtube, etc) and provide its designated URL and password (if applicable) in the entry form.

• Preview Screener link should be submitted with private link or with password for protection & security of the submitted films.

• Preview Screener must be the final version of the submitted film. Should there be any modification/edit done after the completion of its entry, entrant must contact the Festival and follow the instructions accordingly. The difference of the submitted film is entirely judged by the festival and selection can be canceled.

• Preview Screener link must be accessible until the end of the August.

- Eligibility Proof Submission Guide: "Made in Jecheon" Section Only

• If at least one key staff member resides in Jecheon City or Chungcheongbuk-do: Full Staff List/Certificate of Resident Registration

• If at least one key staff member is actively working in Jecheon City or Chungcheongbuk do: Full Staff List/Statement of Local Activities/Proof of Activity (e.g. contract, project report, or certificate issued by related institution)

• If at least one key staff member is currently enrolled, on leave, or has graduated from a university (including graduate school) located in Chungcheongbuk-do: Full Staff List/Certificate of Enrollment, Leave of Absence, or Graduation

• If the film was produced with financial support from a public institution based in Chungcheongbuk-do, including Jecheon City: Full Staff List/Certificate of Grant or Official Selection Confirmation

• If the film's core motif is based on a regional element of Chungcheongbuk-do, or if at least one round of location shooting took place in the region: Script/Location Shooting Report

8) It is the sole responsibility of the Entrant to clear any and all actual or potential legal claims and issues from all content of the film, including but not limited to claims based on using music, stock footage, and any other elements contained and/or used in the film. The Festival expressly disavowed any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for any legal issues that might arise from the inclusion of unclear materials in the film.

■ Selection

1) Films to be officially screened at Jecheon International Music & Film Festival will be selected by the Festival Selection Committee, and selected films will be notified individually.

2) Entrants cannot choose the screening section on the process of entry submission. It is the Festival Selection Committee’s sole authority and responsibility to determine each film’s screening section.

3) Selected films cannot be withdrawn from the program after being confirmed to screen at JIMFF.

4) Festival Selection Committee can reach to an agreement to cancel designated film’s status from the program when there is misgiven and/or false information in the entry form.

■ Selected Films

- Screening Requirement

1) Entrants are obligated to cooperate with the screening when selection is confirmed. All selected films will have 2 screenings during the festival and with a possibility of an additional screening for the press and the local distributors until the end of the Festival.

2) Date, time, and venue of each screening is at the sole discretion of the festival.

3) Selected films will be screened in their original version. If the dialogue of film is not in english, it must include english subtitles. In order to provide the best experience to the Korean audience, the Festival produces Korean subtitles and recreates a DCP with Korean subtitles burned-in. All DCPs produced by the festival will be discarded after the festival.

4) All rights of the Korean subtitles are reserved to the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival. Above mentioned subtitles will neither be provided nor given for free to the Entrant and/or participant of the indicated film but could be sold and/or rented based on the internal standard for subtitles creation.

5) The selected films are primarily intended for offline screening. However, in the event of a social crisis such as COVID-19, the festival may screen films on an online platform during the festival period only. Only films with prior agreement will be screened online, and access will be restricted to the Korean region. For selected films that have agreed to online screening, the festival may request an additional subtitle-free digital screening file. If the required file cannot be provided, the online screening may be canceled. All materials provided for online screening will be discarded after the festival ends.

- Promotional Materials Submission

1) For selected films, each entrant will keenly cooperate upon the request from the festival management. Materials list includes, but does not limit to;

• Downloadable Screener (H.264:mov or mp4 / AAC / Image Size: 1920x1080)
• Dialogue List (in both english and Original language)
• Synopsis (in english)
• Cast & Credit List
• Stills of the selected film (at least 3 photos / 300 dpi)
• Director’s photo
• Director’s Filmography and Biography (in english)
• Trailer (preferable)
• Poster
• Press kit (if available)

2) Materials provided by the Entrant in the request from the Festival shall be used for any promotional purpose including but not limited to Program Catalogue, before and after the Festival.

3) Festival’s promotional range includes but does not limit to the Festival’s official website, social media, and local and/or international Press etc.

4) Festival can edit and/or extract the submitted trailer and/or excerpts of selected films to create its own promotional video. In case the trailer and/or excerpts are not available, the Festival is authorized to use extracts of the final screening version within three minutes, under its strict supervision. The excerpts will be used only for promotional purposes for the Festival.

5) Submitted screeners will be catalogued and made available for domestic and/or international juries, press, critics, and industry guests at the Video Library during the festival.

6) Submitted materials will not be returned unless there is a specific request from Entrants.

- Final Screening Film Copy

1) The screening copy of selected films must be delivered to JIMFF by the deadline specified by the festival. Shipping methods and instructions will be provided by the festival management.

2) Eligible screening formats are as follows;
• DCP, Blu-ray
• Digital File (same with or better quality than Apple ProRes 422 HQ)

※ If the dialogue of the Final screening copy is not in english, it must include english subtitles.

3) The Festival will be responsible for the round-way shipping cost when the following criteria meets; if the shipment has been made through the official courier service designated by the Festival, and if the sender and the receiver of the Final Screening Film are the same. In case the Final Screening Film is shipped from/to other festivals, the Festival will follow the standard custom of cost sharing among festivals.

4) All screening films will be returned to the address indicated in each entry form within 4 weeks after the festival unless otherwise stated. In case of outbound shipping, the transportation-related taxes incurred outside the territory of Republic of Korea shall not be borne by the Festival.

5) For any damage or loss incurred while they are within and between the Festival’s official boundaries, the Festival’s liability is limited to reimbursement for the cost involved in making a new Screening Print according to the current laboratory rates for ordering a standard one.

■ Festival Archive

1) All selected films authorize that its provided screener (Digital file or DVD/Blu-ray) will be part of the Festival Archive, thus will be catalogued and be opened to be viewed at internal circulations by request or be screened only for educational & non-commercial purpose after the Festival.

2) All the films which are screened at JIMFF can be included in the JIMFF Tour Program or commercial public screenings under the additional authorization of the filmmaker or his/her representatives. As for the JIMFF award winning films, the Festival has been given the approval to screen at the JIMFF Tour Program for 1 year after the Festival.

3) Festival will be responsible for the damages arose by its carelessness in supervising its materials.

■ Agreement
By entering Jecheon International Music & Film Festival, the Entrant acknowledges and agrees to all entry rules and regulations of the festival.

The regulation above is valid once the application of a film is submitted to JIMFF, which contains the approval of the filmmaker or his/her representatives.

Jecheon International Music & Film Festival reserves the right to make an independent decision on matters not concerning the above or where no decision has been specified.

In the event of natural disasters or social crises, the above regulations may be subject to change. If such changes occur, the details may be discussed and adjusted through mutual agreement.