The Korean Cultural Center in Brazil organized a comprehensive two-day program featuring renowned South Korean filmmaker Woo Joo-Hyun on August 25 and 26, showcasing her acclaimed short films and facilitating meaningful discussions with Brazilian audiences. The special event included screenings of her latest works "Father Libre" (2023) and "Don't Wanna Die" (2024), both celebrated for their innovative and courageous approach to addressing sensitive social themes.
The inaugural session took place on August 25 at ESPM University in São Paulo, where film and audiovisual students joined members of the general public for an intimate screening experience. Following the film presentations, attendees engaged directly with Director Woo in an interactive discussion, posing thoughtful questions about her creative methodology and narrative decision-making processes. This academic setting provided an ideal environment for in-depth exploration of her artistic vision and filmmaking techniques.
The program continued on August 26 at the Korean Cultural Center, beginning at 7 p.m. with a more formal presentation format. The evening featured an extensive hour-long conversation moderated by Giovani Caldana, a programming specialist from the Museum of Image and Sound (MIS), with consecutive interpretation services provided by Mario Kang to ensure clear communication between the director and her Brazilian audience.
During the comprehensive discussion session, Director Woo Joo-Hyun offered detailed insights into her professional journey as a filmmaker, exploring the various sources of inspiration that influence her screenwriting and the deliberate aesthetic choices that define her cinematic style. She addressed key recurring themes in her work, including the complex dynamics of family relationships, the importance of self-love, and the journey toward personal acceptance that characterizes many of her narratives.
Woo emphasized the unique creative advantages that short films offer compared to feature-length productions, explaining how the format's reduced commercial constraints provide filmmakers with greater artistic freedom to explore challenging and sensitive subjects. She specifically discussed her commitment to addressing difficult topics such as suicide and queer identity, themes that feature prominently in both films presented during the program and represent central concerns in her broader body of work.
Through this culturally significant event, the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil demonstrated its ongoing commitment to fostering cross-cultural understanding and bringing Brazilian audiences into closer contact with contemporary South Korean cinema and audiovisual culture. The program successfully created meaningful spaces for artistic exchange and critical reflection on diverse forms of creative expression, strengthening cultural bridges between the two nations through the universal language of film.
