Korean Academy of Film Arts Marks 20th Anniversary of Feature Film Program with Largest-Ever Special Exhibition in Brazil

The Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), operated by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairperson Han Sang-jun) and led by President Cho Geun-sik, is holding the "15th Korean Film Festival in Brazil – Korean Academy of Film Arts Special Exhibition" in São Paulo, Brazil, from 2026.07.30 to 2026.08.14, in partnership with the Korean Cultural Center, Brazil (Director Jeong Jeong-hee). The exhibition will then tour major Brazilian cities and continue with online screenings through October, bringing KAFA's representative works to audiences across Brazil.

The special exhibition is presented as part of the 15th Korean Film Festival in Brazil, an annual event organized by the Korean Cultural Center, Brazil to introduce Korean cinema to Brazilian audiences. Marking the 20th anniversary of KAFA's Feature Film Program, this edition is the largest overseas exhibition KAFA has ever held, bringing together the program's representative works. The lineup includes 20 feature films (including two animated features) and 25 short films, totaling 45 works. The feature section presents titles representing two decades of KAFA's Feature Film Program, including Alice in Earnestland, After My Death, Aloners, and The Square. The short film section is organized into five sections by subject and theme, showcasing the diversity and range of Korean film creation.

At the opening ceremony held on July 30 at Centro Cultural São Paulo (CCSP), approximately 200 people, including figures from the Brazilian film industry and local audiences, were in attendance. Following a Korean food reception, the exhibition opened with a screening of Bleak Night, directed by Yoon Sung-hyun, a graduate of KAFA's 3rd Feature Film Program cohort. The closing ceremony on August 14 will feature The Apartment with Two Women, directed by Kim Se-in, a graduate of the 14th cohort, as the closing film.

A range of accompanying programs will run throughout the exhibition period. A "Director's Talk" featuring Kim Se-in, director of The Apartment with Two Women, and Kim Bo-sol, director of The Square, will give Brazilian audiences the opportunity to meet the filmmakers directly. A "University Partnership Seminar" will also be held to introduce KAFA's curriculum and its Global and AI education programs, sharing the achievements and vision of Korean film education.

Alongside the exhibition, KOFIC is expanding cooperation with major Brazilian film and educational institutions to strengthen the foundation for exchange. On July 27, KOFIC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on film cooperation with Brazil's National Cinema Agency (ANCINE). The two organizations plan to expand cooperation in areas including film screenings, international co-productions, exchange of film professionals, and exchange of film industry information, laying the groundwork for sustainable cooperation between the two countries' film industries.

On July 28, the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of São Paulo (USP) to expand cooperation in film education and academic exchange. The two institutions plan to expand joint film education programs and research and academic exchange, building a foundation for cooperation in nurturing film talent in both countries. The signing ceremony was made especially significant by the attendance of Korea's First Lady Kim Hea Kyung and Brazil's First Lady Rosângela "Janja" Lula da Silva, who celebrated the start of cooperation between the two countries' leading film education institutions.

KAFA President Cho Geun-sik said, "This special exhibition, marking the 20th anniversary of KAFA's Feature Film Program, is a meaningful occasion to share with Brazilian audiences the creative achievements KAFA has accumulated over the past two decades." He added, "We hope to widely promote the diversity and potential of Korean cinema in Brazil, a strategic hub for our engagement with South America, and to see exchange and cooperation between the two countries' film industries grow even more active."

Published under Public Domain Mark (Korea Open Government License — Attribution). For further inquiries regarding this release, please contact the person in charge. Source: Korean Film Council (KOFIC)

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