Director Lee Joo-hyung's 'Aporia' Wins Gold Award at Houston International Film Festival

"Please Empathize with the Pain of War Victims and Refugees"

Director Lee Joo-hyung's 'Aporia' won the Gold Award in the feature film category at the Houston International Film Festival, which concluded on the 25th of last month (Korean time). According to the production company Sonagi Pictures on the 2nd, the film depicts the journey of a Syrian refugee who fled the civil war and faces hardships while trying to reunite with their family. It was inspired by true events and cast actual refugees and non-professional actors.

Director Lee, who also took on producing and screenwriting, said, "I felt devastated witnessing the unbelievable wars of the 21st century and the victims they have caused." He added, "Through this film, I hope a space is created where war victims and those displaced from their homes can find comfort and where their pain can be empathized with." He emphasized, "We must become more mature. We must continuously strive for a beautiful tomorrow."

The Houston International Film Festival is regarded as one of the top three film festivals in North America, alongside the New York Film Festival and the San Francisco Film Festival. Its prestige grew by supporting early works of master directors such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Robert Rodriguez, and Oliver Stone. In Korea, last year, the film 'Paper Flower,' starring actor Ahn Sung-ki, won Best Actor and Best Foreign Language Film awards.