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

Ellie JO is the Executive Producer in charge of DMZ Industry, an industry platform at the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs). Jo pursued a career for more than a decade in the production/distribution of films and documentaries, film events, and publication with a focus on independent and arthouse films. In charge of multiple duties, she worked for the Busan International Film Festival, one of the leading film festival events in the world. 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 investment or production 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. Before joining DMZ Docs, Jo served as Executive Director of Copyright Overseas promotion Association (COA), a coalition of Korean content powerhouses representing copyright of the Korean entertainment products encompassing from TV programs, music, movies to comics.

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. DMZ Docs has marked the 10th anniversary in 2018 presenting 142 movies from 39 countries. Despite its short history, DMZ Docs is growing as one of the most important documentary festivals in Asia.