Lee Jiwon’s Childen’s Drama Scores Acclaim in Europe

The children’s drama Kids Are Fine by director Lee Jiwon is turning into a hit on the European festival circuit after picking up a slew of awards. The film recently won prizes at the International Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino!, the Schlingel International Film Festival, and the Zlin Film Festival. 

Lee’s feature debut received the Polish Filmmakers Association Award for Best Live Action for Children and the Marcinek Award for the Best Feature Film for Children, chosen by the Feature Film Children's Jury, at the 39th edition of Ale Kino!.

The Ale Kino jury wrote that “Kids Are Fine deals with heavy topics with lightness and great empathy – a truly warm and engaging film with great little actors, whose extraordinary, touching performances bring us close to the children's perspective.”

At the 26th Schlingel International Film Festival, it won the Kids Jury Award and a Special Mention, with the jury opining that it "showed the everyday life of a family in a realistic way and dealt with a serious topic that is not often addressed in children's films. We found it true to life and almost forgot that there was acting. The film showed us that it is possible to overcome even the most difficult hurdles and that you are not alone.”

The film was also feted at the 61st Zlin Film Festival, where it received another Special Mention. The jury there called it "an engaging story told from the children’s perspective about death, friendship and family. Although dealing with heavy topics, it is made with lightness and great empathy and told in a pure and poetic visual language, with strong child performances. The film teaches us, as adults, that you need to meet your children with honesty, even when it comes to the tough things in life. A debut that should be noticed confident and convincing." 

Kids Are Fine tells the story of a young boy who fends for himself while his mother lies in hospital and his father is seldom at home. One day he prepares to one a trip to his mother’s hospital with the help of his friends.

Director Lee previously made the acclaimed short film Summer Night (2016), which won the Best Short Film prize at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Best Director Prize at the Poitiers Film Festival. International sales for the film are being handled by Finecut.