ELLIE JO, Head Of Industry, DMZ Docs, South Korea

Over the past fifteen years, Ellie Jo’s career has focused on independent and documentary films in various fields such as production, international sales, distribution, film events, publications and practice of translation. One of the highlights in her career involved with multiple duties when she worked for the Busan International Film Festival.

As a project manager of both Asian Cinema Fund and Asian Project Market, she fostered and supported up-and-coming filmmakers in Asia by securing production funds and organizing biz matching gatherings. She also served as Executive Producer co-curating and managing the whole production of KBS Busan’s Special Documentary Series “Power of Asian Cinema” (10 episodes) which have reached international viewers around the world through KBS World channel.

In 2019, she joined the DMZ Docs as one of program committee members and created its all-round industry hub for documentary filmmakers – DMZ INDUSTRY – making Asian documentaries more accessible to industry professionals around the globe.

Jo is currently working on another leap forward in DMZ Docs with the official launch of Good Pitch Korea, a global event that offers documentary filmmakers an opportunity to forge partnerships with a variety of influential international organizations.

INSTITUTE PROFILE

DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, also known as DMZ Docs, is a South Korean film festival for documentary films jointly presented by Gyeonggi Province, Paju and Goyang. Launched in 2009, the Festival showcases films dealing with peace, coexistence and reconciliation accompanied by events like seminars, conferences and pitch program for DMZ Docs Fund in Goyang and Paju city of the neighboring region with DMZ (Korean Demilitarized Zone). As one of leading international documentary film festivals in Asia, DMZ Docs aims to provide opportunities for growing Korean and Asian documentary filmmakers to have a field that cineastes and audience together celebrate the festival through documentaries promoting peace, life and communication.

The 12th DMZ Docs was held from September 17th to 24th, 2020, presenting 122 movies from 33 countries. Despite its short history, DMZ Docs is growing as one of the most important documentary festivals in Asia.