공주안 Esther Yun Kong
Esther Yun Kong is a Korean-American writer, director, and cinematographer based in South Korea and New York, merging the delicate with the grotesque in her films. She aims to create introspective works through a balance of the real and surreal. Her recent film “How To Smell Without A Nose” was selected as a NFFTY 2025 Official Jury Award Nominee in the BEST EXPERIMENTAL (STUDENT) category.
“We can never get close to the truth except through lying." - Kiarostami
• Hamilton High School
• Pratt Institute (Film/Video BFA)
SCREENINGS_______
• 2025 NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth) Official Selection
• 2024 Hudson Valley Film Fest Rising Official Selection_Rising Student Award
• 2023 TIDE Film Festival Official Selection
• 2023 CineYouth Festival by ACADEMY AWARD®-QUALIFYING Chicago International Film Festival Official Selection
• 2022 CineAsian Films Festival Official Selection
• 2022 NOWNESS ASIA Experiments Official Selection
• 2022 New York Lift-Off Film Festival Official Selection
• 2022 First-Time Filmmaker Sessions hosted by Lift-Off Global Network Official Selection
• 2021 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for Film and Animation Silver Key
• 2025 NFFTY 2025 Programmers’ Picks: https://www.nffty.org/programmers-picks-25
PUBLICATIONS_______
• 2024 Hudson Valley Film Fest: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-h0Sg5uBiE/?img_index=1
• 2022 NOWNESS ASIA Experiments: https://www.nowness.asia/series/nowness-experiments/facetime
DIRECTOR
2025_______
Personal Works
The Wedding Ring Thief (결혼 반지 도둑) | TBD | Narrative Short | English, Korean
2024_______
Personal Works
How To Smell Without A Nose | 00:07:58 | Experimental Short | MOS
• 2025 NFFTY Official Jury Award Nominee
• 2024 Hudson Valley Film Fest Rising Student Award
• 2024 Hudson Valley Film Fest Rising Student Award
Advil Boxer | 00:01:00 | Commercial Spec | English
2023_______
Personal Works
The Woman Who Makes Tofu in Prison | 00:07:00 | Experimental Short | Korean w/ English Sub
• Selected for 2023 Seeman-Burse Scholarship
Self-Portrait Using Textile Project | 00:02:09 | Experimental Short | MOS
50 Meters | 00:02:00 | Experimental Short | MOS
2022_______
Personal Works
FACETIME | 00:05:52 | Short Experimental Documentary | Korean & English
• 2022 CineAsian Films Festival Official Selection
• 2023 TIDE Film Festival Official Selection
• 2023 CineYouth Festival by Chicago International Film Festival Official Selection
• 2022 NOWNESS ASIA Experiments Official Selection
Stork (황새) | 00:06:06 | Narrative Short | Korean w/ English Sub
• 2022 New York Lift-Off Film Festival Official Selection
• 2022 First-Time Filmmaker Sessions hosted by Lift-Off Global Network Official Selection
2021_______
Personal Works
A Midnight Walk | 17 x 22 inches | Color Pencil Drawing
• School of Visual Arts Galleries New Talent 21’ Official Selection
• 2024 Daegu Independent Short Film Festival Official Invitation
Dirty Mirror | 10 x 8 inches | Mixed Media
• National Art League 90th Annual Juried Open Exhibition Official Selection
BABY | 00:01:00 | Experimental Short | English
• Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for Film and Animation Silver Key
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
2025_______
Contract Works
This Party Never Happened | dir. Hannah Stevens | Narrative Short | English
• Arri Alexa Mini LF
• Arri Alexa 35
2024_______
Personal Works
How To Smell Without A Nose | dir. Esther Yun Kong | Experimental Short | MOS
• Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6k Pro
• 2024 Hudson Valley Film Fest Rising Student Award
Advil Boxer | dir. Esther Yun Kong | Commercial Spec | English
• Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6k Pro
Contract Works
Aramsa | dir. Imaji Ramadan | Narrative Short | English
• Red Komodo 6k
Eeye | dir. Vivian Xiao | Narrative Short | English
• Sony FX3
Squelch | dir. Vivian Xiao | Experimental Short | MOS
• Red Komodo 6k
2023_______
Personal Works
The Woman Who Makes Tofu in Prison | dir. Esther Yun Kong | Experimental Short | Korean w/ English Sub
• Panasonic EVA
• Selected for 2023 Seeman-Burse Scholarship
Self-Portrait Using Textile Project | dir. Esther Yun Kong | Experimental Short | MOS
• Blackmagic Design Ursa Mini 4.6K
50 Meters | dir. Esther Yun Kong | Experimental Short | MOS
• Panasonic EVA
Contract Works
OUR SEASON | dir. Eileen Chang | Narrative Short | English
• Red Komodo 6k
2022_______
Personal Works
FACETIME | dir. Esther Yun Kong | Short Experimental Documentary | Korean & English
•Panasonic Lumix GH5s
• 2024 Daegu Independent Short Film Festival Official Invitation
• 2023 CineYouth Festival by Chicago International Film Festival Official Selection
• 2023 TIDE Film Festival Official Selection
• 2022 NOWNESS ASIA Experiments Official Selection
• 2022 CineAsian Films Festival Official Selection
Stork | dir. Esther Yun Kong | Narrative Short | Korean w/ English Sub
•Panasonic Lumix GH5s
• 2022 First-Time Filmmaker Sessions hosted by Lift-Off Global Network Official Selection
• 2022 New York Lift-Off Film Festival Official Selection
2021_______
Personal Works
BABY | dir. Esther Yun Kong | Experimental Short Film | English
•Panasonic Lumix GH5s
• Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for Film and Animation Silver Key
2025_______
Contract Works
CAMERA DEPARTMENT
BEET ROOT | dir. Lisa Dodell | Narrative Short | English
• 1st AC - Arri Alexa Mini LF
Plastic Glass | dir. Mitchell Clark | Narrative Short | English
• 1st AC - Arri Alexa Mini LF
Vaseline | dir. Ulas Diniz | Narrative Short | English
• 2nd AC - Arri Amira
2024_______
Contract Works
Dear Geraldo | dir. Adriene Klein | Narrative Short | English
• 1st AC - Arri Alexa Mini LF
STICKERS | dir. Asia Nurse | Narrative Short | English
• 2nd AC - Arri Amira
LAO MA | dir. Z | Narrative Short | Chinese w/ English Sub
• 1st AC/Gaffer - Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4k
2023_______
Contract Works
UNRAVELING VULNERABILITY | dir. Vivian Xiao | Experimental Short | English
• Gaffer - Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4k
Far From the Sky | dir. Jackii Chun | Narrative Short | Korean w/ English Subtitles
• DIT - Red Komodo 6k
Tough Luck, Buttercup! | dir. Lisa Dodell | Narrative | English
• 1st AC - Red Komodo
G&E
2025_______
Contract Works
Bottled | dir. Becca Anton | Narrative Short | English
• Key Grip
It’s Me! I Am the Disco. | dir. Kemi Starr | Narrative Short | English
• Gaffer
2024_______
Contract Works
Rio | dir. Vidhu Kota | Music Video for Artist Mike Osei | English
• Gaffer
Dressed as a Girl | dir. Alexandria Brinkman | Narrative Short | English
• Key Grip
• Gaffer
Recall | dir. Kayla Jones | Narrative Short | English
• Key Grip
Ryer Ave | dir. Vidhu Kota | Music Video for Artist Kahme | English
• Key Grip
2023_______
Contract Works
Silhouettes | dir. Hafez Mohseni| | Narrative Short | English
• Grip
Blood Mary Mother of God | dir. Daniel Oliver Lee| Narrative Short | English
• Key Grip
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
2023_______
Contract Works
Far From the Sky | dir. Jackii Chun | Narrative Short | Korean w/ English Subtitles
• script supervisor, on set translator, director’s assistant
BEING KOREAN-AMERICAN SUCKS | dir. Ellie Rha | Narrative Short | English
• Sound Mixer & Boom Op.
Stress Me Out | dir. Eileen Yoon OZU WAS RIGHT LLC | Music Video | English
• Art Assistant
Jumping Club | dir. Jihee Chae | Narrative | Korean
• Production Assistant