“When I make ilm, it feels like magic.”
Interview with ilmmaker Andrew Ahn
Interview by Esther Klung; images/screenshots rom Screencaps rom „Dol“ and „Andy“: Andrew Ahn
A
ndrew Ahn is a ilmmaker in Los Angeles. He grew
up there but was raised by Korean parents. his is the
reason why his ilms are dealing with maters of KoreanAmerican society. His irst ilm “Andy” has been screened on
several festivals all over the world and won multiple prizes.
His latest ilm “Dol” can be seen on the prestigious Sundance
Festival. “Dol” is a personal work describing the self- discovery
of a young Korean- American man and also the life of Andrew
Ahn who came out to his parents through this ilm. Andrew is
an interesting ilmmaker to whom ilms are passion and he is a
person one should keep an eye on to not miss his irst big screen
movie.
K: Your short ilm “Andy“ is about a six year old boy and
his adventures in a mall. Do you put a lot of yourself in
the character of Andy?
Andrew: I put a lot of myself in the character of Andy. I gave him
my name! hat said, much of the character was fully realized
on set by Ryan Ko, the six-year old actor playing Andy. Ryan
brought a lot of natural charm and complexity to the character
that wasn’t in the script. I was very lucky to ind him.
K: What kind if child were you when you were 6? Can you
remember the fears and worries you had back then?
Andrew: I don’t remember what I was like when I was six! here
weren’t fears or worries in my life yet. I think I was still geting to
know the world – I was too busy looking at everything around
me to pay atention to myself. his is a state of mind that I
explore in my ilm “Andy.”
K: It’s about the question what it means to be a man –
what does it mean for you to be a man? As what kind of
man did you saw your father when you were a boy?
Andrew: For Andy, the character in the ilm, being a man is
about understanding the world and the laws of society. It’s
about growing up. My father always seemed so wise, so smart.
He knew things. his was how I deined manhood.
K: When did you decide to become a ilmmaker? Why do
you wanted to be one?
Andrew: I decided to try ilmmaking more seriously in college.
I studied biology in college like a good Korean boy, but I soon
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