Lee Jiwon’s Feature Debut Continues Festival Awards Run

Lee Jiwon’s KIDS ARE FINE has triumphed at yet another International children’s film festival. The film picked up the Grand Prix de Montréal (Best Feature Prize) from the Children’s Jury at this year’s 25th Montreal International Children’s Film Festival (FIFEM).

Based on a webtoon, KIDS ARE FINE follows a nine-year-old boy who enlists the help of his friends to embark on a daring trip to go and visit his sick mother. Since early last year, the film has screened widely at global film events for children. 

It won the Award of the Kids Jury at the SCHLINGEL - International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience and received a special mention from the jury of the International Competition of Feature Films in the Children's Category at the ZLIN Film Festival - International Film Festival for Children and Youth.

The film was particularly well received at the International Young Audience Film Festival ALE KINO, where it earned the Young Audience Audience, the Polish Filmmakers Association Award and the Marcinek Award.

The awarding jury at FIFEM explained: “The children's jury awarded KIDS ARE FINE for its emotional and bittersweet journey, also with its inspiring visuals and endearing characters.”

KIDS ARE FINE is the feature debut of director Lee, who previously made several well-regarded shorts, including 2016’s Summer Night, which picked up the Best Director Prize at the Poitiers Film Festival.