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Memories of the Little Pond

Memories of the Little Pond is an exploration of the pain and sorrow experienced by those who lost loved ones and homes during the Korean War. Told from the perspective of a young girl, the film follows her journey through profound loss, as she faces the grief of losing her closest friend and the fading of her childlike imagination in the aftermath of war. The little pond becomes a metaphor, representing the village, the homes, and the very essence of happiness for its people.

  • Yeon Choi
    Director
    A Bride's Diary
  • Goho Yang
    Writer
  • Yeon Choi
    Producer
    A Bride's Diary
  • Yeon Choi
    Animation
  • Anna Teer
    Animation
  • Luna Smith
    Animation
  • Meg Norwood
    Animation
  • Fox Schwach
    Composer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    작은 연못의 추억
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 20, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    9,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Korean
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Chicago Women Film Fest
    Chicago
    United States
    December 22, 2024
    Best Animation
  • Costa Brava Film Festival
    Girona
    Spain
    November 26, 2025
    Animation Award Winner
  • LA Femme International Film Festival
    Beverly Hills
    United States
    October 16, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Manhattanhenge Film Festival
    Culver City
    United States
    November 16, 2025
    Semi-Finalist
  • The Women’s Film Festival
    Philadelphia
    United States
    September 18, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Anatolia International Film Festival
    Istanbul
    Türkiye
    September 18, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Rome Perspective International Film Festival
    Rome
    Italy
    July 10, 2025
    Animation Award Winner
  • Chain NYC Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    August 7, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    September 6, 2025
    Best Animated Film)
  • Southport FilmFest
    Southport
    United Kingdom
    July 19, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Buenos Aires International Film Festival
    Buenos Aires
    Argentina
    September 30, 2025
    Finalist
  • Massachusetts International Film Festival
    Arlington
    United States
    May 12, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Hang Onto Your Shorts Film Festival
    New Jersey
    United States
    May 12, 2025
    Official Selection
  • London Visionary Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    March 30, 2026
    Official Selection
  • [Story.Land] International Short Film Fest
    Plovdiv
    Bulgaria
    February 17, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Reale Film Festival
    Milan,
    Italy
    January 6, 2026
    Best Animation
  • The Third Culture Film Festival
    Tauranga
    New Zealand
    March 7, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Cine Choice Awards Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    January 26, 2025
    Award Winner
  • Berlin Kiez Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    November 14, 2025
    Best Animation
  • Monocle Short Film Festival
    Macclesfield
    United Kingdom
    February 7, 2026
    Official Selection
  • The West Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival
    Mogantown
    United States
    March 26, 2026
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Yeon Choi

Yeon Choi is an award-winning director, painter, and animator whose work spans multiple mediums, including animation, digital prints, painting, drawing, and sculpture. Her creations have been exhibited in both South Korea and the United States, and her animations have screened at festivals around the world. Select films include A Bride’s Diary, Ever After, The Destroyed Room, Sandstorm, Objects of My Obsessions, The Labyrinth, and Memories of the Little Pond.

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Director Statement

We often think we live in times of uncertainty and anxiety. Especially now, as wars continue around the world, I ask myself: who are these wars truly for, and what can we make of them? Politicians may gain power, arms dealers may grow wealthier, but for most people, war brings only the loss of loved ones—family, friends, neighbors. Survivors are left with memories that haunt them; children are robbed of an innocent childhood. The generations that follow inherit the scars of war—despair, poverty, and fear.

Based on a story by Korean author Goho Yang, Memories of the Little Pond portrays the memories of a young girl in the early days of the Korean War. Her once-vibrant, happy recollections of the little pond—a symbol of her village—are tarnished, overtaken by destruction and sorrow as the war ravages her world.

In revisiting this haunting memory, I suggest viewers reflect deeply on the true cost of war and its enduring impact on those who endure its devastation.