Yoon Ga-eun’s new feature "The World of Love" has secured a competition slot at the 26th Tokyo FILMeX.
The film follows Juin, an inscrutable 18-year-old caught somewhere between cool kid and clout-chaser, who refuses to sign a schoolwide petition―then starts receiving cryptic notes that upend her world. After buzz-making stops at the Toronto, Pingyao and Warsaw international film festivals, "The World of Love" now heads into the Tokyo FILMeX main competition, extending its global momentum.
Held every November in Tokyo, Tokyo FILMeX launched in 2000 through Office Kitano, founded by iconic filmmaker-actor Kitano Takeshi. The festival champions auteur-driven cinema with a focus on Asia, spotlighting distinctive, artful features; past Korean selections include films by Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook and Hong Sang-soo.
In competition, "The World of Love" will vie for the Grand Prize, Special Jury Prize, Audience Award and Student Jury Prize, going up against nine international titles.
Yoon returns to Tokyo FILMeX after "The World of Us" earned the Audience Award and a Special Mention. Her latest will make its Japan premiere at the festival, where anticipation is already running high.
“'The World of Love' is a powerful human drama that probes the complex inner lives of its characters, delicately charting how a teenage girl takes charge of her own story,” said Kamiya Naoki, programming director of Tokyo FILMeX. “Yoon Ga-eun eschews cliches, using a restrained, observational approach to achieve deeper emotion.”
"The World of Love" has also locked Japanese distribution with veteran label Bitters End, setting the stage for broader theatrical reach after the festival. “We’re thrilled to introduce Yoon Ga-eun’s new film to Japanese audiences,” said Sadai Yuji, CEO of Bitters End. “Her command of theme is exceptional, and a master’s touch is clearly emerging. We believe this work will move audiences across borders.”
"The World of Love" opened in Korea on the 22nd and is now in theaters.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)