39th BFI FLARE: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival: “After the Snowmelt” Review

Taiwanese-born director Yi-Shan Lo’s latest documentary, After the Snowmelt (2024), which premiered at the 2024 Visions du Réel festival in the Burning Lights Competition, and was also shown at this year’s BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, is an emotional and visually striking exploration of grief, survival, and identity.  After the Snowmelt challenges traditional storytelling…

39th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Summer’ Camera” Review

Having its world premiere at this year’s BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, Summer’s Camera is the feature directorial debut of Divine Sung, a South Korean filmmaker. The film depicts a wonderful and subtle exploration of youth and love. It also captures the theme of self-discovery while painting a portrait of a high school student,…

39th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival: “Manok” Review

Every metal guitar wants a powerful amplifier. Yang Mal-bok is delightfully animated in Lee Yu-jin’s Manok, a film where zest is absolutely mandatory.  Shortly after the first frame’s bright rainbow flag passes us by, we meet the titular Manok, a lively and impulsive bar owner who hosts LGBTQIA+ parade parties in Seoul. In a bold…

39th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Việt and Nam” Review

If you’re a Vietnamese filmmaker, presenting a story to the world about two star-crossed lovers nicknamed Viet and Nam is all but asking the audience to interpret the trajectory of their relationship as a metaphor for the nation itself. The third film from writer/director Truong Minh Quy attempts to avoid this straightforward categorization due to…

Jooyoung’s Pitch-Perfect Live Performance in London – Show Review

R&B has always thrived on emotional depth and a deep sense of intimacy. While its roots lie in African American musical traditions, the genre has found compelling voices in South Korea, where artists have beautifully incorporated its soulful sound with their own cultural and musical styles. Artists such as Colde, Hoody, Dean, Jooyoung, Crush, Babylon,…