To commemorate the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation (Gwangbokjeol), the Korean Cultural Centre Canada hosts screenings of director Lee Joon-ik’s films <DONGJU: The Portrait of a Poet> (2016) and <Anarchist from Colony>(2017) for students at Vancouver Film School(VFS), one of North America’s leading film arts institutions. Following the screenings, a live director’s talk with Lee Joon-ik takes place via the online platform Zoom, offering VFS students an opportunity to engage directly with the filmmaker. 

*About Director LEE Joon-ik

South Korea's Leading Film Director and Executive Producer

LEE Joon-ik (born September 21, 1959) is one of South Korea’s most renowned film directors and producers. Best known for <The King and the Clown> (2005), which attracted over 10 million admissions and marked a turning point in Korean cinema, he currently serves as CEO of Cineworld Entertainment and remains active in production and distribution. He continued his success in 2015 with the historical drama <The Throne>, working with leading actor SONG Kang-ho. The film was a major hit and won Best Film at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, among other accolades. In 2016, he collaborated on the black-and-white period biopic <Dongju:The Portrait of a Poet>, and in 2017 explored modern history further with <Anarchist from Colony>. With a filmography combining historical insight, emotional depth, and social relevance, LEE Joon-ik is regarded as one of Korean cinema’s most influential directors, whose works continue to resonate worldwide.

*About Vancouver Film School (VFS)

Vancouver Film School (VFS), founded in 1987, is one of Canada’s largest film arts schools, offering practical, hands-on education across 15 majors including film, animation, and game design, based on the latest technologies. Its alumni have become world-renowned talents such as Lino DiSalvo, director of <Frozen> and <Tangled>; Neill Blomkamp, director of <District 9>; Chad Moffitt, animator of <The Lord of the Rings>; and director Yoon Jae-geun of <Heartbeat>. Over 900 graduates have participated in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). As of 2025, VFS alumni have credits in all of the top 10 highest-grossing films at the U.S. box office, 8 out of 10 of the world’s most popular games, and all 5 of the most popular streaming titles. The school is also recognized globally as a leading institution, having produced numerous winners of major awards including the Oscars, Emmys, and Golden Globes. 

*DONGJU: The Portrait of a Poet (2016)

During the Japanese occupation, when few things were allowed to Koreans, two cousins of same age, Dong-ju and Mong-gyu were born in the same house and grew up together. For Dong-ju who dreamed to be a poet, a die-hard actionist for ideal Mong-gyu is the closest friend yet a mountain hard to surmount. When the Japanese forced Korean to change their names into Japanese ones, the two headed to Japan to study leaving their country in turmoil. Upon arriving in Japan, Mong-gyu became more actively involved in the resistance movement against Japan while Dong-ju was still trying to express the tragedy of the time through his poems and the conflict between the two only got deeper against their will.

And now here's the film that portrays the eternal story of YUN Dong-ju and SONG Mong-gyu who had lived as life-long friends and rivals in the time of darkness.

* Anarchist from Colony (2017)

The most interesting anarchists ever during Japanese colonial era now fight against the world.

In 1923 during the Japanese occupation, Kliving in Tokyo are severely exploited by the Japanese. After the Great Kanto Earthquake strikes Japanese island, People fall into chaos. To calm down people’s anxiety, Japanese Cabinet decides to arrest Korean men randomly. Among innocent Korean men, officer Mizuno arrests a young man named PARK Yeol as an example. However PARK instead throws the whole Cabinet into confusion by telling his extreme scheme he had planned with Japanese Anarchist Fumiko; “Kill the crown prince of Japan.”