Camellia Flowers documentary by professor Changhee Chun receives prominent BEA award

April 15, 2024

Cinematic Arts professor Changhee Chun won the Best of Festival award in the documentary category for his film "Camellia Flowers" during the Broadcast Education Association convention in Las Vegas on April 13-16, 2024. This was one of several accolades Chun received at the conference, in addition to Festival Chair's Award prize.

Directed by Changhee Chun in 2023, Camellia Flowers delves into the untold narratives of the Jeju Massacre (also known as Jeju April 3 Incident), a tragic event that unfolded from March 1st, 1947, to September 21st, 1954, during the Cold War era in South Korea. The documentary showcases the stories of two survivors, condensing seven years of history into a cinematic time span of 27.5 minutes. In Camellia Flowers Chun departs from documentary conventions and employs innovative cinematic techniques. Through its use of fragmented poetic imagery and internal montage, the film “explores how sound and narrative techniques are employed to bridge past and present, maintaining the importance of remembering a dark time in Korean history,” says Chun.

Later this year, Professor Chun will travel to South Korea for research and production of his new film Mobility Rights. The trip is supported by the Charles T. McDowell Center for Global Studies Faculty Research Grant.

The Broadcast Education Association (BEA) is the premier international academic media organization, driving insights, excellence in media production, and career advancement for educators, students, and professionals. The association’s publications, annual convention, web-based programs, and regional district activities provide opportunities for juried production competition and presentation of current scholarly research related to aspects of the electronic media. BEA is concerned with electronic media curricula, placing an emphasis on interactions among the purposes, developments, and practices of the industry and imparting this information to future professionals. BEA serves as a forum for exposition, analysis and debate of issues of social importance to develop members’ awareness and sensitivity to these issues and to their ramifications, which will ultimately help students develop as more thoughtful practitioners. See full list of BEA awards