JIMFF - Korea's only music & film festival Aug 12 - 17

August 16

Hey there I just got back from the festival and was lucky enough to not be caught up in any official events.  I had a great time and just loved the fact that there was always something on, some band playing or some art and crafts happening somewhere.  Other than that I just loved hanging out – I found the place quite relaxing.  Because all the films were booked out and I was too relaxed to get in first I only ironically saw one film though about the making of U2′s The Joshua Tree double billing with Queens: A Night at the Opera – both landmark albums.  I didn’t really want to come back but them the breaks.  Please, if you have been please make comments either here or on the facebook page (jimff) about your experience.  Thank you to you all who went along and also to you showed an interest in our beautiful festival.  By all accounts I think this year’s festival was a success!

August 3

I have just arrived in Jecheon 제천 and am posting this from my motel room.   I arrived at the bus terminal and there are two: the old express bus terminal that recieves buses only from the Seoul (Kangnam) bus terminal and the newer wooden looking terminal that recieves busses from everywhere else.  The are straight across the intersection from each other.

The information desk is in the new terminal and not the old.  Bad news I am afraid- there was no real English speakers when I arrived and the only programme on hand was only in Korean.  If you are coming down it would be best to go straight to the festival area where I am sure you can get better information.

This area surrounds the festival cinema called the TTC please ask a taxi drive to go straight there.  Its not much and should be under 3000 won.  Everyone in Jecheon knows the TTC so it will be easier to get there.  If you don’t speak Korean please cut and paste and print this out to show to your taxi driver:

TTC에 가주세요

August 11

The deadline for the free giveways has unfortunately past.   Thank you to all of you who have booked their free tickets to the ‘One Summers Night’ series of concerts.  Enjoy!!!

August 9

The free tickets to the ‘One Summers Night’ series of concerts has no deadline however their are only 20 tickets being offered each night (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon) and Saturday is close to full.  Please read on for details.

See you at Jecheon!

August 6

Free Tickets to the Wonderful ‘One Summer Night Series’

Hi there I am very pleased to announce this exclusive limited giveaway.  Please read the following if you want free tickets to the ‘One Summer Night’ series of concerts and the free bus package (from Seoul) running August 14/15 from Seoul to Jecheon and back again.

Free One Summer Night Tickets

One Summer Night is a series of concerts bound together by different themes.  The series is held outside, under the stars by the gorgeous lake at 8:00 each night.  Each night begins with a film to set the scene and then finishes with a delicious array of live music and performance.  The JIMFF is giving away a limited amount of tickets for Friday (Aug 13) night, Saturday (Aug 14) Sunday (Aug 15) night and Monday (Aug 16) night only.  Each person who applies can receive a maximum of 2 tickets each.  The tickets normally cost 15,000 won each.

Please email me on oxenbridge@gmail.com putting ‘One Summer Night’ in the header.  Also please state which night you would like to go to as well as if you would like 1 or 2 tickets.

Details about One Summer Night can be found here: http://www.jimff.org/jimff2010_eng/pages/p_summer_list.php

Or: http://www.jimff.org/jimff2010_eng/pages/p_music_detail.php?musicNameEng=Star%20Night

August 4

Foreigners can now book films at the JIMFF

Most festivals in Korea do not allow foreigners to book films.  This is not malicious its a problem that is very hard to sort out, something to do with foreign visa/mastercards and foreigners having different id numbers to Korean.  The only way it can be done is to create an in house system and that is what the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival has done.

How it works is this: you download the form on the link I will paste at the end of this email.  You fill the form out and email it back.  You will then get an email back confirming the bookings of your films.  When you are in Jecheon you must arrive 30 minutes before the film begins and pay then.  If you don’t arrive 30 minutes before the ticket office will have the right to sell your tickets.

This is significant as the only other festival I know that allows this is Pusan.  I really hope it will mean you will have the chance to see some great films.  This year at the Jeonju International Film Festival it was almost impossible for foreigners to see any of the films, let alone the good ones.

This is the first time that Jecheon has done this so please expect some teething problems as they get to grips with the whole process.
Here is the link:n http://www.jimff.org/jimff2010_eng/pages/p_ticket_info02.php#

August 1

I have just detailed some of the amazing acts that will be playing at One Summer’s Night – a collection of 4 nights of music and film played down on the outdoor stage on the shores of the lake.   There is an incredible diverse range of performances and films that don’t just mark where Korean music has been but he exciting direction it is about to go in.  This section is the flagship of the JIMFF where both music and film come together in a collision of sights and sounds.

Please go to the Film Programme page of this site to take a look.  Remember, all details including the schedule can be found on the official JIMFF site.  Its link is on the right of this page.

July 30

Please go to the Jecheon Blog for a list of hotels and motels and phone numbers in the region.

http://jecheon.wordpress.com/location-information/

July 29

Sorry been digesting the fantastic films on the new English web site.  In the process of updating  the Jecheon Blog (the link is on the right of this page) to give you more information about how to get to Jecheon (bus and train) and the beautiful temple I visited this week.  Also will give you phone numbers of various motels in the area.

July 28

Well its all been happening at once – I got to Jecheon like a good boy to have a look at the place and have publicity meetings and they go behind my back and release the English website – finally.  Just kidding, it looks great and I am very happy.  Now I don’t have to rewrite everything back onto this blog.  It has all the information execpt a schedule but I am sure they are working on it.  However, I do have one disclamer – like most film festivals here there is no working system for foreigners to book tickets.  I know they are trying to set up an email system for foreigners to do so though.   I will keep you posted.

Please check the site out: http://www.jimff.org/jimff2010_eng/main.php

July 27

Going down to Jecheon today!!  I will be meeting with people down there just so I can ask them more about events in the area but more importantly issues like accommodation and transport – the things that will make it easy for us to stay down there and see the sights.   The next day I will be sightseeing, not to enjoy myself but to find out for you the must sees and how to get there.  Wish me luck!

The Jecheon International Music & Film Festival Goes Rock Crazy!

Please Check the Film Programme section of this blog for more details of the documetaries that focus on some of the 20th centuries most ground breaking albums. 

Film List is Up!

Please check the Film Programme Section for an almost complete list of all the films.  The English web site will be up soon with more information on each film.

Please check out the ‘Programme’ section.  I have previewed some of the brilliant films in the ‘Cine Symphony’ section JIMFF’s international feature section.

Travel Package for Foreigners

Hey I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag because nothing is ever confirmed in Korea until it happens.  But I am trying to organize a package that would include a bus and accommodation for very cheap.  It would only leave from Seoul though.  It if happens there will be two round trip one leaving Friday evening August 13 to come back the next evening and one leaving Saturday evening August 14 to come back Sunday night.  I am really enjoying hanging out with the festival organisers.  Many orgainisations in this country say they want to be foreigner friendly but don’t really mean it or only go half way.  These guys mean it which makes the whole spirit of the festival that much more meaningful for me.

I will keep you posted on this.

David

Film Programme Finally Released

I went to the press conference last night.  Usually these things are quite staid but there was something quite warm, quite local about it despite it being held in a huge exhibition hall in the swanky Sinsegae department store complex.  The lights went down and the press conference begun with a couple of songs played by a pop modern rock band who had been invited back to the festival from last year.  It seemed to set the scene for me quite well of what was going to come.

The festival is bringing 84 films from 26 countries.  This year’s exciting and ecliptic programme uses music, something that unites us all, as inspiration in which to choose a diverse yet accessible line up for many to enjoy. Given such a creative and stimulating central theme, the festival is famous for showing a wide variety of films including documentaries about music, musical films, films about music, a feature competition section and a section of musical shorts.  Each of these categories boasts a wide selection of genres which will all, come together under the crystal clear skies in Jecheon located in the beautiful central Chungcheongbukdo region just two hours away from Seoul.

Please read the Film Programme page and please please, get the word out there any way you can.  Thank you,

David Oxenbridge

August 10 – 17

The Jecheon International Music & Film Festival, which was launched in 2005, was the first music and film festival in Korea. The festival kicks off on August 12 with a grand evening celebration, and continues until August 17. Visitors will be able to enjoy 71 movies from 25 countries and more than 20 music concerts.

The festival programme includes films that have a strong emphasis on music and therefore range from documentaries about music, films that focus on music culture, films with a prominent score, musical cult films, musicals and many more.  The festival also enjoys a huge line up of concerts, dance and other acts, much of these take place on the stage by the beautiful Cheongpung Lake.

Please visit the official site for more information: www.jimff.org

Also for more general information about  Jecheon, other events and the beautiful surrounding area please visit my other blog: http://jecheon.wordpress.com/2010/07/11/jecheon-the-city/