Montreal Asian International Film Festival

09/18/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined AAPLab's first Masterclass, which ran for four hours long and welcomed a full house of guests!

On Thursday, September 17, 2026, Arts East-West's Asian Art Publication Lab (AAPLab) launched its new Masterclass Series with veteran Korean film professional Kim Hong-joon, visiting Montreal from Korea. This inaugural event, "Im Kwon-taek: The Living Legend of Korean Cinema, from Seopyeonje to Present," drew more than 30 participants eager to deepen or discover their knowledge of Korean cinema — all staying until the very end of a lecture that ran late into the night at the Goethe-Institut Montreal.

The event included a screening of Seopyeonje (1993), a lecture presentation, and an Art Talks discussion with Director Kim, moderated by Mi-Jeong Lee, Artistic Director of Arts East-West. Almost all participants stayed for this closing discussion, and ten of them continued the conversation afterward at a nearby Chinese restaurant — creating a warm, casual atmosphere that carried on well into the night.

This turnout signals the start of a deeper commitment to our Asian Film Masterclass series, which will expand to include Asian Canadian and Asian diaspora cinema for our engaged and growing audience. The success of this first event is a testament to the importance of continuing to amplify and platform Asian arts in Montreal. We're committed to carrying it forward in our future programming.

Thank you again, and stay tuned for what's next!

09/17/2026

Today evening, Kim Hong-Joon (Assistant Director of the iconic Korean film SEOPYEONJE and Professor Emeritus at Korea National University of Arts) will be delivering a one-of-a-kind masterclass about the works of Im Kwon-Taek at the Goethe-Institut Montreal.

About Director Kim Hong-Joon:
⭐ Renowned researcher and filmmaker, Former Director of the Korean Film Archive, with deep connections within the Korean film industry
⭐ Author of "Two or Three Things You Want to Know About Movies" and "I, a Filmmaker: Kim Hong-Joon's Film Notes"
⭐ Worked on 4 of Im Kwon-Taek’s films, including Assistant Director on Seopyeonje (1993)

Drawing on his decades of experience and close work with Director Im Kwon-taek, Kim Hong-Joon will paint a vivid picture about his life and works, sharing personal stories from the set of Seopyeonje itself.

Come discover behind-the-scenes of Seopyeonje for yourself – learn about the traditional Korean folk music pansori and discover the world of Chungmu-ro, the symbol of the Korean film industry!

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026 (Today)
Time: 5:00 - 8:30 PM
Venue: Goethe-Institut Montreal
👉🏼 RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/im-kwon-taek-master-of-korean-film-tickets-2000262400686

Don’t forget to reserve your seats, and see you today!

09/16/2026

Seopyeonje (1993), directed by IM Kwon-taek, is credited with reviving interest in Korean traditional culture, including the folk music form known as Pansori, as the film centers around a family of Pansori performers. The iconic musical drama paints a vivid painting of the landscape of Korean nationhood and cultural identity in the 1960s.

Join AAPLab’s masterclass on Im Kwon-taek, with a lecture presentation by KIM Hong-Joon, for a free screening of Seopyeonje and to learn more about the film from someone who worked directly on it. Kim Hong-Joon, award-winning filmmaker and former director of the Korean Film Archive, worked as an Assistant Director on Seopyeonje; his personal connection to Im Kwon-Taek’s films will provide a truly unique and one-of-a-kind perspective to this masterclass that you will not find anywhere else.

Title: “Im Kwon-taek, Master of Korean Film”
Presenter: KIM Hong-Joon (Former Director of the Korean Film Archive and Professor Emeritus at Korea National University of Arts)
Film screening: Seopyeonje (1993), dir. Im Kwon-taek

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Time: 5:00 - 8:30 PM
Venue: Goethe-Institut Montreal (1626 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2X 3V7)
👉🏼 RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/im-kwon-taek-living-legend-of-korean-cinema-from-seopyeonje-to-present-tickets-2000262400686

Don’t miss this rare and special opportunity – come discover it for yourself!

09/15/2026

✨ Seopyeonje and Arts East-West: A Long History ✨

In 2021, the Korean Film Festival of Canada screened Seopyeonje (1993) and conducted an exclusive interview with the lead actress Oh Jung-Hae – which we are pleased to bring to you again, with English translations!

Oh Jung-Hae is a professional Pansori singer and Korean actress, who made her film debut after being personally selected by Im Kwon-taek to star in his iconic film Seopyeonje. In this special interview with Arts East-West for the Korean Film Festival Canada (KFFC), Oh Jung-Hae speaks about her experiences as a Pansori singer herself and the importance of seeing this traditional art reflected in contemporary Korean cinema.

Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PAQx03BCdM

Interested in seeing the film for yourself? Don’t miss our free screening of Seopyeonje this Thursday, 17 September, alongside a special masterclass from the award-winning filmmaker Kim Hong-Joon who was Assistant Director on the film!

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Time: 5:00 - 8:30 PM
Venue: Goethe-Institut Montreal
👉🏼 RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/im-kwon-taek-master-of-korean-film-tickets-2000262400686

Don’t forget to reserve your seats, and see you on Thursday!

2021년, 제 8회 캐나다한국영화제의 영화 라인업에 유명한 클래식 영화인 서편제가 포함되었고, 이를 축하하기 위해 오정...

09/14/2026

Calling all cinephiles and lovers of Korean film in Montreal! 📽️

The Asian Arts Publication Lab is honoured to invite you to a rare masterclass: “Im Kwon-taek: The Living Legend of Korean Cinema, from Seopyeonje to Present.” This special lecture is delivered by KIM Hong-Joon (Assistant Director of Seopyeonje, Former Director of the Korean Film Archive, Professor Emeritus at Korea National University of Arts).

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Time: 5:00 - 8:30 PM
Venue: Goethe-Institut Montreal
👉🏼 RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/im-kwon-taek-master-of-korean-film-tickets-2000262400686

This event will be truly one-of-a-kind – here’s some reasons you don’t want to miss it:

⭐ Behind the scenes of the film: Have a conversation and hear directly from Director Kim Hong-Joon, a historian of Korean cinema who served as the Assistant Director on the actual set of Seopyeonje!
⭐ Witness an icon of Korean cinema: Seopyeonje (1993) was the first South Korean film to draw over 1 million viewers, shattering countless records during its time. Watch the film in its latest restoration by the Korean Film Archive.
⭐ Discover Montreal-Korean relations: Im Kwon-Taek has a surprising history with Montreal, from his 1988 win at the Montreal World Film Festival to Arts East-West’s 1996 cross-Canada touring project with MoMA. Learn more from Kim Hong-Joon himself, whose professional friendship with Artistic Director Mi-Jeong Lee stretches over 30 years!
⭐ From academia to public: Special thanks to Professor Koo Moduk at Université de Montréal who initially invited Director Kim Hong-Joon to lecture at UdeM. Supported by SSHRC and Korean Film Archive, we are thrilled to bring this academic opportunity out of the institution and share it directly with the Montreal public!

Don’t forget to reserve your seats, and see you on Thursday!

09/12/2026

Seopyeonje (1993), directed by Im Kwon-taek, was the first South Korean film to draw over one million audiences and break the all-time box office record upon its release. It also revived interest in Korean traditional culture, including the folk music form known as Pansori, as the film centers around a family of Pansori performers. This iconic musical drama paints a vivid painting of the landscape of Korean nationhood and cultural identity in the post-war era of the 1960s.

Join AAPLab’s masterclass on Im Kwon-taek, with a lecture presentation by KIM Hong-Joon, for a free screening of Seopyeonje and to learn more about the film from someone who worked directly on it. KIM Hong-Joon, award-winning filmmaker and former director of the Korean Film Archive, worked as an Assistant Director on Seopyeonje; his personal connection to Im Kwon-Taek’s films will provide a truly unique and one-of-a-kind perspective to this masterclass that you will not find anywhere else.

Title: “Im Kwon-taek, Master of Korean Film”
Presenter: KIM Hong-Joon (Former Director of the Korean Film Archive and Professor Emeritus at Korea National University of Arts)
Film screening: Seopyeonje (1993), dir. Im Kwon-taek

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Time: 5:00 - 8:30 PM
Venue: Goethe-Institut Montreal (1626 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2X 3V7)
👉🏼 RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/im-kwon-taek-master-of-korean-film-tickets-2000262400686

Don’t miss this rare and special opportunity – come discover it for yourself!

09/11/2026

Im Kwon-taek’s 1993 film Seopyeonje weaves a striking tale of Korean national identity by spotlighting the traditional form of musical storytelling known as Pansori. The film follows the journey of Dong-ho (Cho Jae-hyun), his sister Songwa (Oh Jung-Hae), and their adoptive father Yu-bong (Kim Myung-gon) as they travel from village to village, performing Pansori in the countryside.

Asian Arts Publication Lab is thrilled to invite you to join us for a free screening of Seopyeonje (1993), alongside a rare masterclass about the work of Im Kwon-taek presented by Kim Hong-Joon – an award-winning Korean filmmaker who himself worked as an Assistant Director on four of Im Kwon-taek’s films, including Seopyeonje. KIM Hong-Joon’s personal connection with Im Kwon-taek’s works will provide a uniquely rare perspective on this master of Korean film.

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Time: 5:00 - 8:30 PM
Venue: Goethe-Institut Montreal (1626 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2X 3V7)
👉🏼 RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/im-kwon-taek-master-of-korean-film-tickets-2000262400686

Don’t miss this rare and special opportunity. Seopyeonje is known as the first South Korean film to draw over one million audiences and break the all-time box office record upon its release – now is your chance to discover this historic film for yourself.

09/10/2026

Known widely as a representative director of South Korea, IM Kwon-taek is celebrated for his long, prolific career with emphasis on themes of Korean history and cultural identity. His 2000 film Chunhyang was the first Korean film invited to the Competition in the Official Selection of Cannes Film Festival, and in 2002, Im Kwon-taek became the first Korean director to win the Best Director Award at Cannes. In 2005, he was awarded the Honorary Golden Bear at Berlin Film Festival, and in 2007 he was knighted by the French government under the French Legion of Honour for his contribution to world cinema.

He is known for his creation of films that were uniquely Korean, exploring historic subjects such as the Japanese occupation of Korea and the Korean war, as well as cultural topics such as pansori, a form of Korean folk opera. These films earned him wide critical acclaim and led to his position as one of the most well-respected Korean directors.

Interested in learning more about the legacy of Im Kwon-Taek and his impact on the world of global cinema? AAPLab is thrilled to invite you to attend “Im Kwon-taek, Master of Korean Film,” presented by award-winning director Kim Hong-Joon. Join us for a unique lecture about the works of Im Kwon-taek from the perspective of someone who worked closely with him, followed by a free screening of his iconic film Seopyeonje (1993) and a Q&A with Kim Hong-Joon.

Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Time: 5:00 - 8:30 PM
Venue: Goethe-Institut Montreal (1626 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2X 3V7)
👉🏼 RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/im-kwon-taek-master-of-korean-film-tickets-2000262400686

“My goal for making movies is to teach the world about Korea, but I also want to teach my own countrymen about their own history.” – Im Kwon-taek

09/08/2026

Behind-the-scenes updates from AEW & MAiFF’s social media!

This year, the Montreal Asian International Film Festival received unprecedented success on our social media platforms. We were lucky to be met with an interactive audience who engaged thoughtfully and actively with our posts across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

We want to share the highlights of these moments with you, our loyal audience. Keep swiping to see our insights. Major highlights include:

⭐ 149,500 accounts reached on Instagram and Facebook over 6 months
⭐ 339,300 views on over 6 months
⭐ 10,900 total followers across all social media platforms
⭐ 4,500 email subscribers – sign up for our newsletter from the link in our bio now!

Thank you once again for engaging with Arts East-West. Stay tuned for more updates about our upcoming projects - and don’t forget to follow us on social media!

***

Nouvelles des coulisses des médias sociaux d'AEW et du MAiFF !

Cette année, le Festival international du film asiatique de Montréal a connu un succès sans précédent sur nos plateformes de médias sociaux. Nous avons eu la chance de rencontrer un public interactif qui a interagi de manière réfléchie et active avec nos publications sur Instagram, Facebook et LinkedIn.

Nous souhaitons partager les moments forts de ces événements avec vous, notre fidèle public. Faites défiler pour découvrir nos statistiques. Principaux faits saillants :

⭐ 149 500 comptes atteints sur Instagram et Facebook en 6 mois
⭐ 339 300 vues sur en 6 mois
⭐ 10 900 abonnés au total sur toutes les plateformes de médias sociaux
⭐ 4 500 abonnés à notre infolettre – inscrivez-vous dès maintenant via le lien dans notre bio !

Merci encore une fois pour votre engagement envers Arts East-West. Restez à l'affût des nouvelles concernant nos projets à venir – et n'oubliez pas de nous suivre sur les médias sociaux !