July Jung

Jung Joo-ri (born 1980), also known as July Jung, is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Jung's directorial debut feature A Girl at My Door won the Best First Film at the 25th Stockholm International Film Festival. She also won the Best New Director at the 23rd Buil Film Awards and Best Director/Screenwriter at the 15th Women in Film Korea Awards in 2014, and Best Screenplay at the 2nd Wildflower Film Awards and Best New Director for film at the 51st Baeksang Arts Awards in 2015.

Early years and education
Jung Joo-ri (born 1980), also known as July Jung, grew up in Yeosu until she graduated from high school. She wrote in her diary when she was a freshman in high school, “I plan to become a film director.” When She was in middle school, her father would pile up video tapes and watch movies alone every night. It was a time when Hong Kong movies were popular, and people watched a lot of Hollywood movies and European movies. When She woke up early in the morning and passed by to go to the bathroom, the TV screen showed her father lost in his own world. At the same time, She also watched the video her father had rented.

When preparing for college, Jung had a vague desire to study video media rather than a clear intention of making movies. However, deep down, she aspired to become a film director. She was aware that merely enrolling in the film department wouldn't guarantee her a directorial role after graduation. Consequently, she decided to pursue a degree in the Department of Film and Television at Sungkyunkwan University.

Jung graduated much later than her classmates due to the challenges she faced during her academic journey, including an expulsion followed by readmission. It was during her college years that her passion for movies started to take shape. As she pursued her studies, she was exposed to a diverse range of subjects, which helped her recognize the significance of studying film grammar as a fundamental aspect of her education. However, she noticed that the Department of Film and Television at that time had a stronger focus on animation and games rather than live-action filmmaking.

In response, Jung took the initiative to collaborate with friends in a small group and began making movies using camcorders. This hands-on experience provided her with valuable practical knowledge in the field of filmmaking. Unfortunately, her dedication to filmmaking led her to skip classes, resulting in her expulsion. However, she was determined to continue her education and was readmitted to the university. As she returned, she decided to pursue a double major in Western philosophy, further expanding her knowledge in that area. Immersing herself in the theoretical aspects of film and philosophy, her filmmaking skills improved significantly.

Eventually, Jung successfully completed her studies and graduated from Sungkyunkwan University's Department of Film in 2005. After graduation, she prepared herself to enter the workforce. In addition, she also made preparations for the journalism exam, but soon realized that it didn't align with her aptitude.

Jung realized the need to pursue filmmaking earnestly and made the decision to attend graduate school. At the time, Jung was around 25 or 26 years old. After entering Korea National University of Arts, Jung expanded her knowledge and worked on various short films. Jung, released her first short film titled "A Man Under the Influenza" in 2007. The English title of the film cleverly plays on the title of John Cassavetes' renowned film A Woman Under the Influence, which is known for Gena Rowlands' exceptional performance. It depicts a comical scenario set in a Chinese restaurant, capturing the essence of an absurdist play. Jung's film received the Seonjae Award at the 12th Busan International Film Festival.

While still studying at Korea National University of Arts, Jung also created the short film 11 (2008). It depicts the story of a young female police station chief. Graduating with aspirations of immediately directing a feature film, Jung soon realized that reality required several more years to pass before that dream could be realized.

Career
Jung mainly wrote short stories, but she had a tale about a cat and its owner that she wanted to turn into a full-length story. She even envisioned making it into an animated film during her time as undergraduate student, Jung had envisioned turning this story into an animation. The story revolves around a cat trying to get its owner's attention, who is preoccupied with a new cat. In an attempt to gain attention, the cat catches a mouse and puts it in the owner's shoe. Unfortunately, the owner misunderstands the cat's actions as harmful. The next day, the cat brings a skinned, bleeding mouse, hoping to convey a desperate plea for attention.

Jung developed the story further by turning the cat into a child character named Dohee. The foundation for the composition of these characters were inspired by the original cat story, and their specific details were refined over time. The characters Dohee's choice to place a bleeding rat in the shoe became a pivotal moment in the story. Yeongnam was then created as a character who understand and comfort Dohee. The story is set in a secluded rural village, highlighting the deep bond between two women who protect each other in a harsh world. Despite the story's painful and oppressive nature, Dohee and Yeongnam retain their unique identities as female characters.

Jung submitted her story to an industry-academia collaboration project organized by CJ and the Korea Film Institute, with director Lee Chang-dong, professor at Korea National University of Arts, as the project's advisor. He closely followed the process of scenario development during the initial treatment and participated in the final evaluation. Although her script was not selected in the final round, Jung reached out to Lee Chang-dong after the presentation, expressing her belief in the story's potential. Lee Chang-dong considered the idea and suggested, "What if we make it ourselves?"

Jung finally had the opportunity to make her directorial debut in a full-length feature film. The film, titled A Girl at My Door (2014) was produced as a low-budget independent film by Lee Chang-dong. Nevertheless, they succeeded in casting Bae Doo-na, Kim Sae-ron, and Song Sae-byeok. The film was shot in Seoul. Upon its release, it garnered significant attention in Korea and was invited to the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes International Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. The film went on to win several awards, including the Best New Director Award at the Baeksang Arts Awards and the Best Screenplay Award at the Wildflower Film Awards.