I am pleased to see the Korean Film Festival Canada host its 12th edition.

As the 2024-2025 Korea-Canada Year of Cultural Exchange begins another year of fortifying our deep friendship through cultural collaboration, this event could not come at a better time to demonstrate the role of film in promoting cross-cultural understanding.

Films are an important way of communication, and they allow Korea and Canada to access to segments of each nation's histories, societies and cultures. The global prominence of Korean cinema is an incredible opportunity for Korea to demonstrate its talent and innovation, thus demonstrating the importance of seeing, understanding and respecting our nations through the eyes of each other.

I hope that citizens will have a glimpse at the diversity and profound richness of Korea, and that their interests towards our arts will only increase with this festival.

Montréal draws strength from its diversity, and we're always ready to celebrate it. I am proud to invite you to discover the Korean Film Festival, which invites film lovers to plunge into the heart of a captivating program and explore new creative dimensions. I'd like to thank the organizing team for breaking down barriers between communities with this event, which has been a fixture on the Montréal arts scene for 12 years. I would also like to warmly congratulate all the filmmakers for their contribution to our cultural vitality. In addition to fostering rich and original discoveries, these artisans and craftspeople encourage exchanges and contribute to the promotion of new works. I wish you all an inspiring festival and memorable encounters.

Enjoy the festival!

I would like to congratulate KFFC on reaching its 12th edition.

In this century, we have witnessed significant advancements in complex infrastructure, particularly transportation and communication. The proliferation of soft infrastructure has also fostered universal values like freedom, democracy, and human rights, contributing to a world that increasingly feels like a global village.

In this era, the East and West, the North and South, must acknowledge and embrace diverse opinions and cultural diversity. This mutual respect is essential for fostering a better world where everyone can thrive.

In this regard, I sincerely appreciate AEW's role in promoting these values through various initiatives, including KFFC, which has showcased films and media arts from Korea and Asia in Canada. The festival has significantly contributed to cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

I want to share a quote from the late Korean actress Kim Young-ae: “I was born ordinary ... and I was lucky enough to become an actress and to be loved so much. A good actor and a good role are something that everyone creates together.” Her humble perspective serves as a valuable lesson.

Quoting an African proverb, I wish for the success of the 12th KFFC and for the ongoing development and well-being of everyone who participates in KFFC and AEW. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

It's an honor to welcome you to the 12th Korean Film Festival Canada. This festival plays a vital role in celebrating Asian Canadian and Korean cinema, fostering intercultural dialogue, and showcasing the innovative visions of filmmakers across the diaspora in Quebec and Canada. This year, the wonderful team of KFFC has selected films and new media art that delve into 'Arts & Technologies: Sleep, Dream, Body,' exploring the connections between artistic expression, technological advancements, and our physical and subconscious selves. Enjoy the festival!

As a filmmaker and a new board member of Arts East-West, I am deeply honored to welcome you to the 12th Korean Film Festival Canada! Storytelling has the power to bridge cultures, evoke empathy, and build community—and KFFC embodies that spirit year after year. It’s especially moving to see Korean cinema continue to resonate with diverse audiences in Montréal, sparking meaningful conversations and connections. This festival is not only a celebration of powerful films, but also of the people who come together to make it possible—from artists and curators to volunteers and audiences like you.

On behalf of FCCCQ, it is a great honor to extend our heartfelt congratulations on the 12th edition of the Korean Film Festival in Canada. Over the past twelve years, the Korean Film Festival in Canada has served as a remarkable bridge between cultures, celebrating the rich artistry, storytelling, and spirit of Korean cinema. We are proud to support this important cultural initiative, which continues to inspire, connect, and engage audiences through the power of film. We look forward to many more years of cinematic excellence and cultural exchange.

Congratulations on the upcoming opening of The 12th edition of KFFC!

As a minority filmmaker who has been creating independent films in Quebec for a long time, I am well aware of the difficulties and long-term significance of such a film festival, especially in the current context of the government cutting funding for the arts. I would like to express my respect to the organizers and participants for their faith and efforts. What is particularly gratifying is that this year's edition will add a special column for works by female directors.

I wish the film festival a happy and successful event and look forward to seeing refreshing works!

It is with great pleasure that we welcome the 12th edition of the Korean Film Festival Canada (KFFC) here at Cinéma du Musée. This year, under the theme Arts & Technologies: Sleep, Dream, Body, the festival invites us to explore the intersections of technological innovation and artistic expression through a rich program of films and performances. The KFFC is a celebration of Korean cinema and the diversity of Asian Canadian voices. As the Director of Programming at Cinéma du Musée, I am honored to see our space become a hub for cultural exchange, where cinephiles, artists, and creators come together. A heartfelt thank you to Arts East-West and the entire festival team for curating such a bold and inspiring lineup, transporting us into captivating stories and fresh perspectives. Enjoy the festival!

We are not living in easy times, and it seems there is no clear direction for civilization to advance. But perhaps by sharing our stories, experiences and feelings we can connect better and become closer by learning and exchanging ideas. Arts-East-West and the Korean Film Festival Canada, thanks to the hard work of Mi-Jeong Lee, has created a great space in the Arts for improving this kind of communication.

Hello, this is Jang Man-min, director of Silver Apricot. My heartfelt congratulations on the 12th edition of the Korean Film Festival Canada in 2025! I truly hope that Silver Apricot, along with a wide variety of Korean films, will meet the citizens of Montreal with brilliance and passion. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Executive Director Lee Mi-jeong, the programmers, and all the festival staff for building a meaningful bridge between Korea and Montreal through cinema—and for kindly inviting Silver Apricot to be part of it. Wishing both the audience and the staff a joyful and memorable time!

I would like to thank you for inviting my film The Land of Morning Calm to the 12th edition of the Korean Film Festival Canada. The film I made is visiting Canada before me! I am very excited that the story of a small fishing village in Korea is meeting viewers from the other side of the world. This movie is about the people I’ve been around growing up. We all run towards some place, away from something. In some cases, people do good deeds, in others not so much. Someone who was kind-hearted and generous becomes cruel in an instant, harming the ones they used to be affectionate with. I could see this complexity of the human nature surrounding me, and my film reflects this reality. I hope that this film provides a space to understand today’s intricate and multifaceted Korea, a chance to examine the painful reality we tried to hide until now. Thank you for the invitation, and a sincere congratulations to the opening of this year’s Korean Film Festival Canada!

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축하해요 / Congratulations! Your contribution to enhancing understanding of Korean film and arts culture is undeniable. We applaud your visionary approach. The Korean Film Festival of Canada brings people together in a shared experience and always embraces revelation and insight. We are so pleased to be a part of this year’s festival programming. 감사합니다 / Thank you. 여러분을 응원합니다! / We’re cheering you on!

The Montreal Korean Festival (MKFCM) is proud to support the 12th edition of the Korean Film Festival Canada (KFFC), a landmark celebration of Korean cinema and its power to connect communities across cultures. As cultural advocates, we recognize the essential role that film plays in telling stories that move, inspire, and unite us.

KFFC continues to be a vital platform for showcasing the richness, diversity, and innovation of Korean filmmaking. MKFCM is honoured to stand alongside KFFC in amplifying Korean voices and building meaningful bridges between Korea and Montreal through the universal language of cinema. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the organizers, filmmakers, and audiences who make this festival possible.

Let us celebrate the art of storytelling—together.

I am truly honored to be part of the 12th Korean Film Festival Canada, a remarkable platform that brings together artists, filmmakers, and audiences to celebrate the power of cinema as a bridge between cultures. KFFC’s commitment to fostering dialogue and artistic exchange resonates deeply with my own exploration of migration, memory, and identity through film and photography. Under this year’s theme, Arts & Technologies: Sleep, Dream, Body, the festival invites us to reflect on the evolving relationship between art, innovation, and human experience. It is a privilege to share space with such diverse voices from the Asian, Asian Canadian, and Korean diasporic communities, all contributing to a dynamic and inclusive cinematic landscape. I look forward to engaging with fellow artists and audiences in this celebration of storytelling across boundaries. My heartfelt gratitude to the KFFC team for creating this inspiring festival.

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I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the 12th Korean Film Festival Canada (KFFC) on this remarkable milestone. It is truly an honor to have my film Hole included in this year’s program. As the screening day approaches, I await it with great anticipation and curiosity, wondering how the audience will engage with the film. I have always believed that regardless of when a film was made, it comes to life anew in the moment it is shared with an audience. I am deeply grateful to the festival for providing Hole—along with many other unforgettable works—a meaningful platform to connect with viewers. Thank you once again for making this opportunity possible, and I sincerely hope the experience will remain a cherished memory for all.

Hello. I am really thankful for my film You know, there are ghosts under the tree to be screened for this edition of the Korean Film Festival Canada. This film was shot in both Seoul and Jeju over the summer of 2023 and recalls the journey of lost children, their superstitions, and more broadly about caring for oneself and continuing on with life. I hope you enjoy it.

As a distributor of socially, politically, and environmentally engaged documentary cinema since 2010, Funambules Médias is thrilled to collaborate with the team of the Korean Film Festival Canada (KFFC) for its 12th edition, taking place from May 22 to June 28, 2025, under the theme Arts & Technologies: Sleep, Dream, Body. Held across several iconic venues in Montréal, the festival offers local audiences a unique opportunity to experience Korean cinema and that of its diaspora. It also features a series of gatherings and networking events that foster intercultural exchange around the arts and film.

Congratulations on the 12th Korean Film Festival Canada! I am very honored and grateful that my film Sticky Candy is being screened at this edition. I was inspired to keep making films after seeing the audience share stories and emotions beyond the movie, so I am very happy to be able to meet Canadian audience beyond Korea through the 12th Korean Film Festival Canada. I am looking forward to seeing what other stories and the emotions are shared. I hope all of you enjoy the festival and fill your hearts with good films! Have a great time at the festival!

Congratulations on the 12th Korean Film Festival Canada! I am thrilled to have my short animation Hair Universe selected at the festival, which promotes cultural exchange between Korea and Canada. Hair Universe is a story about the pain of loss and the growth, and I am curious and excited to see how it will be received by Canadian audiences. I hope you have a warm and meaningful time watching the various films at the 12th KFFC. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported this screening and to all those involved in organizing the festival.

Heartfelt congratulations on the opening of the Korean Film Festival Canada!I'm honoured and delighted to have my film Variation screened at this year’s festival. I'm also very curious and excited to see what other films will be featured alongside mine. Variation is a romantic comedy that explores the story of a couple striving to understand one another. I sincerely thank the festival team for recognizing the value of my work and inviting me to participate. I also hope that audiences who come to see the film will connect with it in a meaningful way. I’ll continue creating engaging films and will do my best to return with another work in a future edition of the Korean Film Festival Canada. Thank you

Thank you to the organizers and everyone involved for making this festival possible. I am honoured that my short film I Leave my Little Heart in My Mother’s Chest has been selected for the 12th edition of the Korean Film Festival Canada. It’s a privilege to be part of such a great event and of a vital platform showcasing film, culture, and storytelling of global voices. I hope my film resonates with you as it has with me during its process. I am looking forward to sharing this experience with all of you and to learn more about the world of Korean cinema.

My name is Ashley Mae Johnston, and I am a mixed-race Korean-Scandinavian dancer, choreographer and filmmaker based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I am interested in the physical body as a source of power, liberation, and authentic connection to the psyche. My work researches the emotional, psychological and physical effects of being observed by others, and its relationship to social context. I am so incredibly honoured to be part of the 12th Korean Film Festival Canada. My ancestry deeply informs my relationship to self, my body, womanhood, and consequently my artistic practice. I am very grateful that a film festival committed to the celebration of Asian Canadian and Korean art exists. As a mixed-race person, I often struggle with my connection to being Korean, and being included in this festival is validating and deeply important. Thank you for witnessing my film Seen.

Thank you KFFC for having me and my short film,‬‭ I Worry About My Teeth‬‭.‬ As an emerging filmmaker based in Montreal, I’m incredibly excited to be able to share the film‬ with the local community.‬ I came upon this story while working my first corporate job, an environment even more‬ monotonous and disconnected than I expected; this short is an attempt at capturing that feeling.‬ Thanks so much for supporting the festival!‬

Yolanda‬

‭P.S. My coworker is going to need a root canal, and you can imagine how that is my worst nightmare!‬

I greatly appreciate the Korean Film Festival Canada not only for including my short film Moving Water in their 12th edition but also for the work they have done over the 12 years of the festival to celebrate and foster Asian and Asian Canadian stories and artists. I want to wish all of the organizers a huge congratulations for supporting and bringing this festival to life for 12 years! Highlighting diverse stories from the lived experiences of artists and communities within Canada is of utmost importance and I am so grateful to be one of those voices this year amongst so many talented artists. Thank you to all of the artists, organizers and audience members who make this festival possible!

The McGill Faculty of Arts Internship Office is proud to once again partner with the Montreal Korean Film Festival for its 12th edition. We are thrilled to support our talented Arts students as they contribute behind the scenes to this vibrant celebration of Korean cinema and culture. This partnership offers students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the cultural sector while engaging with Montreal’s dynamic film community. We look forward to another inspiring summer of storytelling, collaboration, and cultural exchange.