Jokers Film has acquired the French distribution rights to Barungson E&A’s “The World of Love,” the top-grossing Korean independent film in 2025.
The acquisition agreement was negotiated between Manuel Chichet, Founder and Head of Asia Acquisitions at Jokers Film, and Sylvie Kim, Head of International Business at Barunson E&A.
As of November 30th, this special feature had over 150,000 viewers in South Korea.
Directed by Yoon Ga-eun, who received acclaim for The World of Us (Berlinale 2016) and The House of Us (BFI London 2019), the drama centers on 17-year-old Lee Joo-in (Seo Soo-bin), an unpredictable high school student whose outbursts of anger ripple through her world.
The title gained attention on the film festival circuit, having its world premiere at the Platform Competition in Toronto, winning the Jury Prize and Audience Award in the Crouching Tiger section at the Pingyao International Film Festival, and the Fiplessi Award at the Warsaw Film Festival. The film was recently screened in the Momentum section of the Cork International Film Festival.
The film recently won the Montgolfiere d’Or, the highest award in the international competition section of the 47th Nantes Three Continents Film Festival. Previous award-winning works include “hanami” (2024), “The Shadowless Tower” (2023), “Glorious Ashes” (2022), and “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy” (2021).
The festival’s jury praised the film for exploring a universally rejected subject with depth, tenderness, and sensitivity. The jury said: “Through a rich and complex cast of characters who have the courage to refuse to be bound by imposed narratives, this film tackles taboo subject matter without ever turning away, always celebrating life and love above all else.” “For its richness, power and ability to make us think, “The World of Love” was awarded the Montgolfiere d’Or.
Founded in 2014 by Sishu and Violine Barbaro, Jokers Film has built a reputation for delivering acclaimed international films. The company’s films include Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” Park Chan-wook’s “The Handmaiden,” Wong Kar-wai’s “2046” and Nicolas Winding Refn’s “The Neon Demon.”
“Jokers is very proud to be the French distributor of The World of Love. On a personal note, it’s been a long time since I’ve been so moved and enthusiastic about a Korean film,” Chiche said. “Yoon Ga-eun is a great director and some of the sequences (especially the car wash scene) are really great. Being able to see this kind of talent is the biggest reason we’re doing this job. We’re very grateful for the trust that Barunson E&A has placed in us.”
“The World of Love” is currently being screened at the Jogja Netpac Asian Film Festival, which also includes the JAFF market, and will next be screened at the Red Sea Film Festival.
