Film archive, 2026

Recovery

리커버리

Director IM Yeonjeong

1Festival entries

★Avg. rating

“I wanted to make an action film. An action film featuring a woman.” Yeonjeong talks about her dream before a huge wave, and immediately she is throwing herself around the mat at a jiu-jitsu gym. To understand action means to understand the body, which is why she learns surfing as well as martial arts. Recovery begins at a fairly cheerful pace. Just when we start to wonder whether this is a film about the director trying different sports, Yeonjeong carefully opens the stained black box of her memories. Dark and frightening memories that no one would want to reopen appear on screen as animation, and we come to understand that her desire to make a women’s action film is tied to her trauma. Recovery is a record of the long struggle to face the darkness in one’s memories, accept oneself, and move on to the next chapter of life. In the end, Im Yeonjeong makes her dream come true with her first shot. This is the bravest self-documentary of the year and an introverted action film.

Stills5

Film details

Director: IM Yeonjeong
Country/Region: Korea
Year: 2026
Length: 77min
Original language: Korean
Elsewhere: Letterboxd TMDB

Director

IM Yeonjeong

Im Yeonjeong has directed several short films, including Flowerpot (2012), Cutglass Bowl (2014), and Fly (2016), while also developing feature films and writing scripts for series. Recovery is her feature directorial debut.

From Busan International Film Festival 2026, No. 31

Credits

Director: IM Yeonjeong
Producer: Yoonsoo HER
Cast: IM Yeonjeong, Yaeeun KIM, Jiyun JEONG, Yul SEO, Kyeongil IM, Bora KIM, Hyesung SHIN, Minjin JANG
Screenplay: IM Yeonjeong
Cinematography: Hyobong JANG
Editing: Heejeong WOO
Music: Heecheon RYU
Sound: Dohee JUNG
Animation: Kyusuh HUH
D.I: Hyunghee KIM
Graphic Design: Jisoo KIM

Festival appearances1

Choose a festival entry to see its screenings, articles and audience reviews.

RecoveryBusan International Film Festival 2026, No. 31Wide Angle: Documentary Competition

Festival history1

釜山国际电影节, 2026Wide Angle: Documentary Competition, Competitive sectionDocumentary Audience Award