Lotte Award

A Journey into Chilean Music

El Viaje - A Road Trip into Chiles Musical Heritage

Germany | 2016 | 93min | DCP | Documentary | World Music

This vibrant journey weaves through the legacy of "Nueva Canción Chilena" (New Chilean Song), a powerful musical tradition from Chile and Latin America. Influencing musicians around the world, Nueva Canción became the soundtrack of a generation. Among its torchbearers is Rodrigo González, who emigrated to Germany in 1974 at the onset of Pinochet’s dictatorship. The film follows Rodrigo—now the bassist of the German punk rock band Die Ärzte—as he returns to his homeland, reconnecting with his roots and the music that shaped his identity.

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  • Nahuel López
  • Nahuel López was born in 1978 in Hamburg, Germany. After studying advertising and political science, he trained in video production at Cinecentrum, a television production company. He has worked as a freelance journalist and editor, while also building a career as a writer, producer, and lecturer. A Journey into Chilean Music marks his directorial debut.

Special Mention by the Jury

Country Music in Japan

Far Western

USA | Japan | 2017 | 83min | DCP | Color | B&W | Documentary | Country

Charlie Nagatani, the 82-year-old owner of the country bar “Good Time Charlie’s,” is also the founder of Country Gold, Japan’s largest country music festival, which has been running for over 32 years. Meanwhile, Masabe Sasabe leads a Japanese bluegrass band. During the early 1970s, amid a wave of travel to the U.S., he set out to explore the roots of American traditional music. Through the journeys of Nagatani and Sasabe—from Japan to Nashville—the film uncovers a forgotten chapter in the history of music.

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  • James Payne
  • Japanese Country is James Payne’s first feature-length documentary. He previously co-directed The Creek Runs Red, a film addressing environmental issues, and has produced various works that have aired on the History Channel and National Geographic. His films—as both director and producer—have been screened at renowned festivals including SXSW, the Toronto International Film Festival, Hot Docs, IDFA, Berlinale, and Sheffield DocFest.
  • The Flow of World Music Films (International Competition Section)
  • In the “Flow of World Music Films” section—the only competitive category at the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival—two films selected by a panel of domestic and international jurors are honored with awards: the Grand Prize and the Special Jury Prize. The Grand Prize includes a cash award of KRW 10 million, while the Special Jury Prize comes with KRW 5 million.

International Competition Jury

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  • Christian Jun
  • Jury President, Deputy Executive Director of the Cannes Film Festival
  • Christian Jun, Deputy Executive Director of the Cannes Film Festival, represents the festival internationally, with a particular focus on discovering and promoting Asian cinema. Since joining the festival in 1983, he has taken on various roles and has played a key part in raising the international profiles of Southeast Asian filmmakers such as Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Brillante Mendoza, Eric Khoo, and Garin Nugroho. In addition to his work in programming, he has translated over 100 films from English into French.
• 
  • Si Nansheng
  • Producer
  • Hong Kong-based producer Si Nansheng has worked on numerous blockbuster films, including Flying Swords of Dragon Gate 3D (2011), Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon (2013), and The Taking of Tiger Mountain (2014). She played a pivotal role in the success of Cinema City and Film Workshop, which she co-founded with renowned director and producer Tsui Hark. Si Nansheng has also served as a jury member at the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival and the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. In addition, she is a member of the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Vice Chairperson of a foundation dedicated to the prevention of child sexual abuse.
• 
  • Yoshihiro Hanno
  • Film Composer, Director, and Screenwriter
  • Born in Osaka in 1968, Yoshihiro Hanno is a globally renowned musician and composer whose work spans film scores, orchestral compositions, and electronic music. He gained critical acclaim for his score for Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Café Lumière, being hailed as “a fresh new voice in film music.” Hanno has also collaborated with leading Asian directors such as Jia Zhangke and YU Lik-wai. In 2015, he made his directorial debut with A Woman Wavering in the Rain, a feature film he also wrote, which was invited to the Tokyo International Film Festival.
• 
  • Choi Dong-hoon
  • Director and Screenwriter
  • Choi Dong-hoon made a powerful debut with The Big Swindle (2004), a film that was praised for advancing the Korean crime genre and earned him numerous awards for Best New Director and Best Screenplay. His 2006 follow-up, Tazza: The High Rollers, was both a critical and commercial success. In 2009, he captivated audiences with Jeon Woochi: The Taoist Wizard, which showcased dynamic wire action and impressive visual effects. His 2012 film The Thieves drew over 13 million viewers with its intricate plot and dazzling action sequences, while Assassination (2015), inspired by real-life historical figures, attracted approximately 12.8 million viewers and left a lasting impact on audiences.
• 
  • Gwei Lun-mei
  • Actress
  • Gwei Lun-mei, a renowned Taiwanese actress, began her acting career in 2002 with the film Blue Gate Crossing and has since appeared in over 20 films. She won Best Actress at the 49th Golden Horse Awards and the 55th Asia-Pacific Film Festival for her performance in the coming-of-age drama Girlfriend, Boyfriend (2012). The following year, she was nominated again for Best Actress at the 50th Golden Horse Awards for her role in the courtroom drama Christmas Rose. In 2014, she received the Best Actress award once more at the Golden Horse Awards for her performance in Black Coal, Thin Ice, marking her third consecutive nomination. Gwei has also served as a jury member at the 14th Shanghai International Film Festival, the 15th Taipei Film Festival, and the 52nd Golden Horse Awards.

2017 Jecheon Asia Film Music Honorary Award

Since 2006, the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF) has presented the Jecheon Film Music Award to film music composers who have made a significant impact on Korean cinema. To date, a total of 11 distinguished composers have been honored. At its 13th edition, JIMFF expands the scope of this tradition by introducing the Jecheon Asia Film Music Award, which aims to recognize outstanding film music composers across Asia. As the first music film festival in Asia, JIMFF hopes this new award will further solidify its position as a leading music film festival in the region.

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  • 2017 Jecheon Film Music Award Recipient
  • Kenji Kawai, a Master of Japanese Film Music
  • Selected as the first recipient of the Jecheon Asia Film Music Award
  • Music Director | Korea
  • The first recipient of the Jecheon Asia Film Music Award is renowned Japanese composer Kenji Kawai. Widely recognized by Korean film fans for his iconic scores in Ghost in the Shell, Innocence, Avalon, Ring, Death Note, Ip Man, and A Battle of Wits, Kawai is considered one of Asia’s most influential film composers. His extensive body of work, which transcends national borders, perfectly aligns with the spirit of the Jecheon Asia Film Music Award, making him a fitting choice as its inaugural honoree.