About Us

KTOWN International Film Festival (KTOWN IFF) is a Los Angeles–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to connecting filmmakers with community, culture, and global opportunities. KTOWN IFF is where global cinema meets the creative energy of Koreatown—bringing filmmakers, technologists, and storytellers together in one of Los Angeles’ most vibrant cultural crossroads.

Founded by experienced film and media leaders and guided by an advisory board of renowned filmmakers, industry professionals, and technology experts, the festival presents curated screenings, industry panels, and international film programs throughout the week. Opening Night takes place at the historic Gardena Cinema, with additional events hosted in partnership with venues including Regency Theater.

The festival culminates with the Closing Night Awards Ceremony and the AI Film for Humanity Award, recognizing ethical and human-centered innovation in cinematic storytelling.

More than a festival, KTOWN IFF is a cultural bridge connecting communities, filmmakers, and ideas through the power of cinema.

Executive Members:

  • Minah Son – Event Producer/Workshop
  • Daseul Lee – Event MC. Korean actress with experience in television, commercials, music videos, and theater. She is also an accomplished emcee and event host, known for leading cultural events, festivals, and corporate programs with professionalism and warmth.
  • Zach Chang-Otanez – Intern, Music Program Committee
  • Roah Hyebhin Nho – Intern, Music Program Committee (Berklee College of Music)

Programming Committee:

  • Judy Kim – Senior Programming Director Gardena Cinema
  • Paul Rivas – Senior Documentary Film Programmer
  • Water Santucci – Senior Animation Film Programmer
  • Suyeon Choi – Documentary Film Programming Assistant
  • Cheolsoo Jang – Korean Film Programmer
  • Evgeny Subochev – International Program Director for Russian Films – > ABOUT EVENNY
  • Zak Piper – Student Film Programmer
  • Dani Di Rosa – International Program Director for Paraguayan Films
  • Yong-Jong Park – AI Film Programming
  • Mark Spano/Megan Lisak – AI Film for Humanity
  • Eunice Kang -Special Education Programming –  Empowering student voices through film and journalism.

Advisory Board:

Our advisory members are a distinguished group of industry professionals and trusted partners of the festival’s executive leadership. As members of the Advisory Committee of the KTOWN International Film Festival (ktowniff.org), they provide strategic guidance, industry insight, and mentorship, helping the festival explore new opportunities for growth while supporting its artistic vision and mission.

Ilya Salkind

Ilya Salkind is a Mexican-born film and television producer from a legendary multi-generational filmmaking family, best known for producing the groundbreaking Superman films (Superman 1978, Superman II, Superman III), which helped establish the modern superhero genre, as well as classics such as The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers, Supergirl, and Santa Claus: The Movie. Renowned for his visionary approach to international co-productions and large-scale storytelling, Salkind’s career has had a lasting impact on global cinema. In recognition of his lifetime contributions to film and cultural storytelling, he was honored as the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient at the 2023 Jackson Doc Fest.

Michael Schultz

Michael Schultz is an acclaimed director whose distinguished career has spanned more than five decades across theater, film, and television. A pioneering filmmaker and one of the first African American directors to achieve sustained success in Hollywood, he has helped shape American cinema while inspiring generations of storytellers.

A founding member of the Negro Ensemble Company, Schultz earned an OBIE Award for Song of the Lusitanian Bogey and received a Tony Award nomination for Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?. He went on to direct landmark films including Cooley High, Car Wash, Greased Lightning, The Last Dragon, and Krush Groove, with Car Wash receiving two awards at the Cannes Film Festival.

Throughout his career, Schultz has helped launch the careers of talents such as Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J, and Blair Underwood, while directing acclaimed television series including Ally McBeal, The Practice, The O.C., and Everwood. His film Woman Thou Art Loosed earned Best Film honors at both the American Black Film Festival and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Michael Schultz is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jackson Doc Fest. KTOWN IFF is honored to welcome him as a distinguished member of its Advisory Board, where his remarkable experience and visionary leadership continue to inspire filmmakers around the world. Michael will be presenting the 2026 Best Actor Award for KTOWN IFF.

Barry Sandrew, Ph.D.

Dr. Barry Sandrew is an internationally recognized serial entrepreneur, digital imaging innovator, and VFX pioneer with more than 39 patents. A former Harvard/MGH neuroscientist, he invented digital colorization in 1987 and later founded Legend Films and Legend3D, leading the restoration, VFX, and proprietary 3D conversion for all the major Hollywood studios on many of their highest-grossing films of the past two decades, collaborating with such filmmakers as Zack Snyder, Martin Scorsese, Robert Zemeckis and Michael Bay.

He currently serves as Managing Director of the Innovation Hub at Westcliff University, where he leads entrepreneurial initiatives and applies his latest AI innovations to reimagine 21st-century education.

Christina July Kim

Christina graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in the acting program at the University of Southern California. In addition to acting, Christina has worked in the Tech sector for the past 15 years working closely with C-Level executives and tech professionals. It is through her day job that Christina is able to pay for the film projects that she takes on through her production company, Selah Pictures which she started to tell the stories that she wanted to tell as an underrepresented minority woman in the Entertainment Industry.

In 2016 she also started the Silicon Valley International Film Festival that is the only networking event that connects people who work in tech with filmmakers with the objective of filmmakers getting their next film funded.

Walter Santucci

Walter Santucci is an animator, puppeteer, and filmmaker who has created work for and with such luminaries as Monty Python’s Graham Chapman, Cedric the Entertainer, Ice Cube, Ice T, and Margaret Cho. He recently produced animation and puppet segments for Attention Deficit Theater for the CW Network and Radical Cram School with Kristina Wong.
For over ten years Walter has taught animation at various colleges and universities. He is the author of The Guerrilla Guide to Animation (Bloomsbury Press) and has created animation for Disney, Fox, MTV, Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop, and many more. He recently finished directing an animated feature starring the voices of punk rock legends Jack Grisham (TSOL) and Keith Morris (Black Flag, Circle Jerks) called I’d Rather Be Turned Into Cat Food.

Larry Namer

Larry Namer is a pioneering media executive and co-founder of E! Entertainment Television, the global entertainment network now valued at over $10 billion USD. With more than five decades of experience in television and media, he has played a significant role in shaping modern entertainment programming and global media distribution.

Namer is President of Metan Global Entertainment Group and Chairman of LJN Media, where he advises companies on international content development, media strategy, and emerging entertainment technologies. Throughout his career, he has launched and guided numerous television networks, digital media platforms, and global entertainment ventures, helping connect entertainment, technology, and international markets.

Cathlyn Choi

Cathlyn Choi is a television and film producer, media entrepreneur, and community advocate with more than 25 years of experience in media, marketing, and business development across North America, South America, and Asia.

She is best known as the host and producer of Cathlyn’s Korean Kitchen (2009–2013), the first Korean cooking show in English broadcast nationally on PBS, introducing Korean cuisine and culture to audiences across the United States.

Cathlyn is the co-owner of Carma Media Productions and founder and Executive Director of the Asian Culture and Media Alliance (ACMA), where she produces award-winning documentaries, podcasts, and short films that amplify Asian American voices and strengthen communities through storytelling.

Dae Ryun Chang

Prof. Chang is currently a Visiting Professor at IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. He is also a Leading Professor at SUNY Stony Brook in Korea since 2022. He spent 35 years as Professor of Marketing at Yonsei School of Business. He received his Doctorate from Harvard University, his MBA from Columbia University, and his BCom from the University of British Columbia. A former Dean of the Graduate School of International Studies at Yonsei University, he has held visiting faculty appointments at Helsinki School of Economics, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Australian National University, Singapore Management University, Nanyang Technology University, and was a Visiting Scholar at Columbia University, University of Vienna and University of St. Andrews.    

Ken Klein, Ph.D.

Dr. Kenneth Klein is Head Emeritus of the East Asian Library at the University of Southern California, where he led the library for nearly four decades. During his tenure, he played a central role in building one of the most significant East Asian and Korean studies collections in the United States, including the USC Korean Heritage Library and major digital archives preserving Korean and Korean American history.

In addition to his academic and archival leadership, Dr. Klein has served for many years as a judge for Jackson Doc Fest, bringing a deeply informed perspective on documentary storytelling, historical context, and cultural authenticity. He has been honored by the Government of South Korea with the Order of Civil Merit for his lifelong dedication to advancing Korean studies and cross-cultural understanding. He brings this breadth of experience in scholarship, archives, and documentary evaluation to the KTOWN International Film Festival Advisory Committee.

Thomas Sanghyun Hong

Thomas is a Tokyo- and Seoul-based film producer, critic, festival programmer, and Korean–Japanese translator specializing in Japanese and Korean cinema. His work has been featured in publications including CoAR, the Japan Foundation’s JFF+, and Hitocinema by Mainichi Shimbun.

He has served as a producer, programmer, advisor, and juror for leading film organizations, including the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Takasaki Film Festival, Jeonju International Film Festival, and the prestigious Mainichi Film Awards.

With extensive experience in film production, criticism, and international cultural exchange, Thomas brings valuable global insight to the KTOWN International Film Festival as an Advisory Board Member, where he also helps lead the festival’s Korean Night programming.

Young Man Kang

Young Man Kang is an award-winning Korean American filmmaker, producer, and founder of several internationally recognized web series festivals, including K-Webfest and Hollywood Series, and serves as the Festival Director of LA Webfest. With a career spanning more than two decades, he has directed numerous independent feature films, documentaries, and digital productions, earning recognition for his innovative storytelling and commitment to independent cinema. A passionate advocate for emerging filmmakers, Kang has dedicated his career to creating opportunities for creators worldwide through film festivals, education, and international collaboration. As a member of the KTOWN International Film Festival Advisory Board, he brings extensive experience in filmmaking, festival programming, and global industry networking to help advance the festival’s mission of celebrating diverse voices and fostering the next generation of storytellers.

Robert Grasmere

Robert Grasmere is an internationally recognized filmmaker and visual effects supervisor with decades of industry expertise in action filmmaking, cinematography, and large-scale production. His background includes work on major studio films such as They Live, Prince of Darkness, Predator 2, Demolition Man, Clear and Present Danger, and Salt, collaborating on productions directed by John Carpenter and Phillip Noyce and featuring actors including Angelina Jolie and Harrison Ford.

As Creative Surpervisor of Temprimental VFX in Culver City, he has overseen complex visual effects projects including Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar and The Unholy. In addition to his visual effects work, he has recently expanded his directing credits internationally. He recently directed a feature film in Thailand titled The Art of Eight Limbs and a film in Saudi Arabia called The Watchful Eyes, both of which he directed exclusively in a directing capacity rather than visual effects. He also directed second unit and handled the visual effects for the upcoming K-pop horror thriller Perfect Girl.

Yong-Jung Park

Yong-Jung Park is a leading Korean CGI and VFX artist, AI artist, and director with nearly three decades of industry experience since 1997. As CEO of Kinomotive, he has led high-end visual effects production across Korea, Hong Kong, China, India, and Southeast Asia for major feature films, television dramas, and global commercial projects. Known for delivering large-scale CGI with exceptional speed, precision, and realism—often indistinguishable from live action—his work stands out for integrating advanced technology research with a strong creative vision. His expertise spans motion graphics, 2D/3D animation, compositing, stereoscopic 3D, and generative AI, bridging cinematic storytelling with next-generation production workflows.

Mark Spano

Mark Spano is a writer, filmmaker, television producer, and educator. His documentary Sicily: Land of Love and Strife screened at the Toronto Italian Film Festival and aired across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. He has also produced multiple programs for public television.

Mark is Area Chair for Performing Arts at Duke University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), where he teaches film and writing. He has published fiction, poetry, and reviews, taught at several universities, and lectured throughout the U.S. and Canada. He also served as a judge at Jackson Doc Fest, helping support the festival’s early growth and mission. He brings his experience in filmmaking, education, and festival programming to the KTOWN IFF Advisory Committee.

Zak Piper

Zak Piper is an Emmy- and PGA Award-winning documentary producer with more than 25 years of experience creating acclaimed nonfiction films and series. His work has premiered at Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, and Cannes, and aired on ESPN, PBS, National Geographic, CNN, MTV, and other major platforms.

His producing credits include City So Real, Life Itself, The Interrupters, All These Sons, and The Luckiest Guy in the World, earning recognition from the Primetime Emmys, Independent Spirit Awards, Cinema Eye Honors, and the National Board of Review.

A longtime member of the Kartemquin Films community and former Director of Production, Zak continues to develop new documentary projects while bringing his expertise, mentorship, and passion for impactful storytelling to the KTOWN IFF Advisory Committee.

Brian Choi

Brian Choi is a senior journalist with the Los Angeles–based Korea Daily, affiliated with JoongAng Ilbo, one of South Korea’s leading national newspapers. With more than 25 years of experience in journalism, he has covered culture, film, and the entertainment industry, reporting on stories ranging from Korean American community issues to major developments in Korean and international culture. In addition to his reporting, he has hosted and moderated numerous cultural and community events, fostering meaningful dialogue between artists, audiences, and the media.

David Quinn

David Quinn is an American entertainment attorney with decades of experience working across the United States, UK, Russia, and Korea in international film and television. He has been involved in major Russian film and television projects, offering expertise in financing, production management, and distribution for complex cross-border productions. His work also includes collaboration with Korea on one of the most ambitious film color-restoration projects for Russian television, as well as professional experience in London’s film and media industry. He brings a global legal and production perspective to the KTOWN International Film Festival Advisory Committee.

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