People say good-looking actors and actresses are the heart and soul of movies. But it's not quite correct. Movie stars are not the only ones to win the love and acclaim of movie fans. The music played in the movie is also another undeniable factor that captures the hearts of movie-lovers.

Perhaps most people have at least one movie soundtrack in their CD collection. A movie without music is like a flower without its scent.

For those who love movie soundtracks, the fifth annual Jecheon International Music and Film Festival can fulfill their desire for both movies and music this August.
On the shores of Cheongpung Lake, located in the city of Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do (North Chungcheong Province), 89 films from 35 countries on the theme of music or musicians will be screened at Jecheon International Music and Film Festival for six days from Aug. 13.

The opening film is "The Soloist" by Joe Wright, who also made "Pride & Prejudice" (2005) and "Atonement" (2007). This is based on the real story of a journalist and a schizophrenic yet genius musician. Robert John Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx, Oscar winning star of the movie "Ray," will play the journalist and the musician, respectively.

This film will be screened at the outdoor Cheongpung Lakeside Stage.
For the festival's only international competition, ten movies will compete and the winning movie will be screened on the final day, receiving 10 million won prize money. The ten movies include "Unmade Beds" (the United Kingdom), "Courting Condi" (the United States), "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" (the United States),"Our Beloved Month of August" (Portugal), "Princess of Africa" (Spain), "Dancing Zoo" (Korea) and Loins of Punjab" (the United States, India).

In the "Cine symphony" section, 11 movies made on the theme of music, musicians or musicals will be screened. Also, in the "Music in sight" section, 16 music documentary movies will be shown about the stories of musicians in various genres, including salsa, blues and tango.

In the "Themes and variations" section, five movies will delight movie fans by showing world-famous conductors like Kurt Mazur, David Zinman, Lorin Maazel, Gustavo Adolfo Dudamel Ramírez, and the wonderful performances of their respective orchestras.

Nine Korean movies, including the popular movies "Go Go 70's" and "Overspeed Scandal," will be also screened in the festival's Korean movie section titled "Korean music-themed films' Today" (unofficial translation).

Also, five movies will be shown in the festival's family section, while 14 overseas films and 14 Korean films will be shown in the festival's short films section. The movies will be screened at Multiplex Theater TTC Cinema, Jecheon Media Center, Art Hall on the Lake, Cultural Street, JIMFF Stage and Urimji or Cheongpung Lakeside Stage.

During the festival, also a three-day music concert titled "One Summer Night" will be staged on Aug. 14-17 at the Cheongpung Lakeside outdoor stage where musicians, including singer Kim Jang-hoon, Kim Chang-wan Band and Benny Golson Quartet, will perform. Concert admission costs 15,000 won.

The opening or closing movies cost 10,000 won per ticket. Most other movies, except for the Midnight Fever program and Jecheon Live Choice, cost 5,000 won. The tickets for four Korean movies -- "Go Go 70's,¡± "Modern Boy," "Overspeed Scandal," "Sunny" -- will be offered on a first come, first served basis. Most of the tickets can be sold on site or via Internet but non-Koreans are advised to buy their tickets on site, according to the festival organizers.

By Yoon Sojung