This year's guest country program takes us to the Julian Alps. Organized with the generous support of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Seoul, "Guest Country: Julian Alps-SLOVENIA" presents eight films offering a wide-ranging introduction to the cinema and mountain culture of Slovenia, the alpine powerhouse at the southern edge of the European Alps.

The program begins at the roots of Slovenian alpinism. Aleš Kunaver and Our First Expeditions to the World's Highest Mountains portrays a legendary mountaineer who believed that alpinism was not about reaching summits but about becoming a better human being. Alpine Warriors, based on the book by Bernadette McDonald — recipient of this year's Ulsan Ulju World Mountain Culture Award — weaves together footage that Stipe Bozic filmed on the world's highest peaks over half a century with his interviews with legendary climbers. Together, the two films summon the Slovenian names deeply engraved in the history of high-altitude mountaineering.

Two classics, restored to mark the 120th anniversary of Slovenian cinema in 2025, will be unveiled in Korea for the first time. Both are based on the beloved stories of Josip Vandot: Kekec(1951), Slovenia's first youth feature film and the birth of the national character Kekec, and Good Luck, Kekec(1963), the country's first color feature and a prizewinner at the Venice Film Festival, return to the screen alongside the vivid landscapes of the Julian Alps. The lineage continues today: Block 5, which won the hearts of young audiences in Locarno and Zagreb; Tales from the Magic Garden, a stop-motion animation that premiered in Berlin; Family Therapy, a satire that swept seven awards at the Festival of Slovenian Film; and Woman of God, a documentary following one pastor's faith and choices — from children's films to award winners at home and abroad, the present of Slovenian cinema gathers in one place.

Encounters beyond the screen await as well. "The night of Julian Alps: SLOVENIA," an evening lit by the beautiful melodies of Slovenian pianist Bowrain, is presented together with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Korea and the Bled Tourist Board. We invite you to join this new encounter between the Yeongnam Alps and the Julian Alps.

― Jinna Lee, Programmer​