For the 12th Korean Film Festival Canada (KFFC), we are proud to launch EastMeetsWest (EMW), a bold new category that continues and reimagines the legacy of the AmérAsia Film Festival—founded in 1999 by artist Mi-Jeong Lee.

EMW shines a spotlight on Asian and Asian Canadian filmmakers who are forging new paths in fiction storytelling. These films challenge mainstream narratives and reflect the layered realities of diaspora through a lens that is personal, political, and poetic. Rooted in AEW’s founding vision—"Where East Meets West"—this new section champions hybrid identities and voices that are often left on the margins. Through intimate short films and dynamic feature-length works, EastMeetsWest is where emerging and established filmmakers share stories on their own terms—whether navigating cultural anxiety, family legacies, or the tensions of living between two worlds.

Featured EMW Selections at the 12th KFFC: I Worry About My Teeth, Yolanda Chow (2024, 4:40 min)

A poetic and introspective short that meditates on cultural anxiety, oral history, and self-image. Quiet yet resonant, it captures the everyday weight of growing up between languages and expectations.

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Mongrels, Jerome Yoo (2024, 111 min)

A powerful and emotionally charged debut feature about a Korean Canadian man reckoning with grief, masculinity, and his fractured cultural identity. Raw, honest, and grounded in lived experience, Mongrels is a standout voice in contemporary diasporic cinema.By amplifying fictional narratives from across the Asian Canadian spectrum,

EastMeetsWest builds a vibrant space where generational perspectives and cultural boundaries intersect and evolve. This category is not just a selection—it's a statement: that Asian Canadian cinema is diverse, fearless, and here to stay.Catch these powerful stories at the 12th KFFC.

Get your Early Bird Tickets while they last!