Yoon Ga-eun's 'The World of Love' selected for Toronto's Platform competition

Acclaimed director 'The World of Us' breaks new ground with her third feature about a teenager's emotional journey

"The World of Love" (TIFF)

South Korean director Yoon Ga-eun's latest feature "The World of Love" has been selected for the Platform section at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, the film's local distributor Barunson E&A said Wednesday.

The selection marks the first time a Korean film has competed in the festival's prestigious auteur-focused competition.

The Platform section, founded in 2015, primarily showcases distinctive works from early-to-mid-career filmmakers. It serves as the festival's only competitive program. Past selections have launched major careers, including Barry Jenkins' "Moonlight," which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, William Oldroyd's "Lady Macbeth," and Pablo Larrain's "Jackie."

"The World of Love" will have its world premiere at the festival, which runs Sept. 4-14. The film follows Joo-in, a 17-year-old high school student (played by Seo Su-bin, in her debut role), whose first explorations of love lead her down an unforeseen path. The cast also includes Jang Hye-jin ("Parasite," "Crash Landing on You").

The film qualifies for the Platform Award, which comes with a 20,000 Canadian dollar prize. It is also eligible for the festival's People's Choice Award and the newly established International People's Choice Award, both determined by audience voting.

Yoon has built a reputation for her nuanced portrayals of children and adolescents. Her 2016 debut feature "The World of Us" premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and earned widespread acclaim for its delicate depiction of elementary school friendship.

Her follow-up "The House of Us" (2019) continued her exploration of childhood perspectives. Director Bong Joon-ho praised Yoon as one of three masters alongside Abbas Kiarostami and Hirokazu Kore-eda in bringing child actors to life on screen. He later named her the only Korean director on Sight & Sound's list of "20 filmmakers to watch."

Following its world premiere at Toronto, "The World of Love" will hit Korean theaters later this year.