We are delighted to host an in-person screening of <Nakdong River> (1952) - a film shot and produced during the Korean War and digitally restored by the Korean Film Archive (KOFA), on Thursday, March 19, from 19:00 - 20:30 (ET), in partnership with KOFA and the International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO). 

This screening is part of IFFO’s SAVE AS 2026 showcase, which highlights Korea’s leadership in film preservation and restoration and features Aaron Nam, Colourist at the Digital Restoration Team, KOFA. This year, SAVE AS showcases recent restoration projects and archival practices, exploring how national archives safeguard cinematic heritage while expanding international access to historically significant films.

Screening Information

• ●Date: Thursday, March 19 | 19:00 – 20:30 (ET)

• ●Location: Korean Cultural Centre Canada, 150 Elgin St #101, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4

• ●Admission: FREE

• ●RSVP: https://www.iffo.ca/2026/nakdongriver (Attendees are welcome to bring guests)

• ●More info about SAVE AS: https://www.iffo.ca/saveas/attend

About Nakdong River (1952)
<Nakdong River> was shot and produced during the Korean War, making it an exceptionally rare wartime cinematic work. The film was mislabelled as documentary footage, probably because the title sounded like a nature documentary. It wasn't until the 2020 inspection by the Korean Film Archive that it was finally identified as a feature-length fiction film.

Unlike many films during the war, the original negative survived perfectly intact, greatly enhancing its historical value. The film was digitally restored to UHD (4K) by KOFA in 2021, and it is officially designated as a National Registered Cultural Heritage of Korea.

Set along the Nakdong River defensive line, the film portrays the lives and struggles of people during the war and incorporates actual combat footage. Historians believe this footage was accessible because newsreels were frequently screened in theatres at the time, which adds authenticity and reality to the film.