Yoon-Joo is a French-Korean creative director based in London. At the heart of her work is a drive to capture and translate diverse expressions and interpretations surrounding a central theme. Through human-centric design, participatory processes, cinematic storytelling, and world-building, her art becomes a conduit for connection, empathy and self-reflection. Recognized as an ASPEN Leader Fellow and Yunus & Youth Fellow, and named one of the TOP 100 Women to follow by the Euclid Network, Yoon-Joo's recent collaborative projects include partnerships with the Brighton Dome, Change NOW, Goethe Institute, Cannes World Film Festival, City, University of London, and the UNESCO, among others.
INTERVIEW
What was your first impression when you get an information that your film had won at our festival? How did you celebrate this successful event?
I was absolutely thrilled and grateful when I received the news! We celebrated with our crew members and took a day trip to Cambridge for the occasion with a crew member! 🙂
Could you describe the process of creating your film and what challenges you had to overcome during the shooting?
Creating this film was a labor of love that took many months of hard work, resilience and a lot of people's creative juices. One challenge we faced was managing the film's funding and running the production with a very limited budget, which added a lot of complexity and uncertainty. Also, we decided to film in Sicily, on Mount Etna, during a period when there were active fires across the island, and this unexpected circumstance complicated a lot our logistics as you can imagine! But the filming process was still overall an intense, joyful and unforgettable experience and the team work made all the difference.
What message is your film trying to convey to the audience?
The overarching message of your film is to explore the complex and transformative nature of anger, both on an individual and societal level. At the personal level, the film aims to encourage people to embrace and honestly confront their anger, rather than suppress it. The goal is to showcase the power that can arise from acknowledging the diverse spectrum of our emotions, including the challenging ones like anger.
On a broader, societal scale, the film examines how we tend to interpret and respond to anger differently based on gender norms and cultural conditioning. It seeks to spark dialogue about these ingrained biases and how we can cultivate a more nuanced, compassionate understanding of this emotion. Ultimately, our film serves as a catalyst for introspection and action. It invites the audience to reflect on their own relationship with anger, while also considering the larger implications of how we collectively perceive and manage this powerful human experience. The film's message is one of embracing the fullness of our emotional lives, in order to foster personal growth and positive social change.
Which moment in your film is personally the most significant for you and why?
Oh, it's difficult to single out one specific moment, as each scene and sequence holds deep personal meaning! The studio scenes were important to me, as we managed to capture the raw, authentic expressions of anger from our performers. Seeing their powerful expressions unfold on screen was incredibly rewarding, as it's precisely the kind of raw emotional honesty that I was striving to capture. The intimacy and vulnerability present in those moments was really what I was looking for. At the same time, the Etna sequences hold a special place, as they required significant efforts to get them! The physical challenge of filming on an active volcano, with all the logistical hurdles that entailed, makes those shots all the more meaningful. Whether it was climbing up at 4am to catch the sunrise or racing down as the sun was setting, we poured our hearts into capturing the grandeur and power of that natural landscape.
Do you think your film can influence or inspire viewers?
I sincerely hope that this film can serve as a source of inspiration and reflection for the viewers.The level of vulnerability and honesty shown in the film will - I hope - prompt viewers to engage in meaningful self-reflection. If viewers come away from the film with a heightened sense of self-awareness, empathy, and a desire to enact positive change, both on a personal and societal level, then I will feel that our efforts have been truly meaningful and impactful!
If you had to describe your film with just one adjective, what would it be?
If I had to describe my film with just one adjective, I would say it is "transformative."
At the core of this project is a deep exploration of the transformative power of this emotion, from repressing it to expressing it and ultimately releasing it. But this extends beyond the personal experience. The filmmaking process itself was a transformative journey for the entire crew. From sharing our most intimate stories to forming deep connections to doing this cathartic release together was a truly transformative moment. WE all came with a story and all left with a new one: it changed our perspectives, behaviours and completely changed us for the better!
