Queen of the Morning Calm

{{short description|2019 film}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Queen of the Morning Calm

| image = Queen of the Morning Calm poster.jpg

| caption = Official release poster

| director = Gloria Ui Young Kim

| producer = Gloria Ui Young Kim
Josh Barsky

| writer = Gloria Ui Young Kim

| starring = Tina Jung
Eponine Lee
Jesse LaVercombe

| music = Stephen Krecklo

| cinematography = Dmitry Lopatin

| editing = Orlee Buium
Michelle Szemberg

| studio = Gloryous Productions
Hawkeye Pictures

| distributor =

| released = {{film date|2019|12|07|Whistler}}

| runtime = 86 minutes

| country = Canada

| language = English

| budget =

}}

Queen of the Morning Calm is a 2019 Canadian drama film written and directed by Gloria Ui Young Kim in her feature directorial debut.Angela Morrison, [https://exclaim.ca/film/article/queen_of_the_morning_calm_film_review_gloria_ui_young_kim "CFF Review: 'Queen of the Morning Calm' Is a Must-See Debut from a Rising Canadian Director"]. Exclaim!, May 29, 2020. The film stars Tina Jung as Deborah, a single mother in Toronto who is struggling to raise her daughter Mona (Eponine Lee) while the girl's father Sarge (Jesse LaVercombe) moves in and out of their lives unpredictably and unreliably.

The film was in development for several years.Lauren Malyk, [https://playbackonline.ca/2019/12/06/gloria-ui-young-kims-push-for-queen-of-the-morning-calm/ "Gloria Ui Young Kim’s push for Queen of the Morning Calm"]. Playback, December 6, 2019. Kim won the Telefilm Canada New Voices Award at the Toronto Screenwriting Conference in 2013 for its screenplay, but struggled to secure sufficient funding to make the film until she won the $200,000 Feature Film Award from Women in the Director's Chair in 2016.Regan Reid, [https://playbackonline.ca/2016/11/25/in-brief-widc-feature-winner-canadians-up-for-independent-spirit-awards/ "In Brief: WIDC winner; Canadians up for Independent Spirit Awards"]. Playback, November 25, 2016. The film finally went into production in November 2018.Lauren Malyk, [https://playbackonline.ca/2018/11/22/gloria-ui-young-kim-rolls-on-her-debut-feature/ "Gloria Ui Young Kim rolls on her debut feature"]. Playback, November 22, 2018.

Queen of the Morning Calm premiered at the Whistler Film Festival on December 7, 2019, and was subsequently screened at the Canadian Film Festival on May 29, 2020, where Kim won the awards for William F. White Reel Canadian Indie and Best Director, while Lee won for Best Breakout Performance.Debra Yeo, [https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2020/06/08/documentary-shoot-to-marry-and-feature-queen-of-the-morning-calm-win-canadian-film-fest-awards.html "Documentary ‘Shoot to Marry’ and feature ‘Queen of the Morning Calm’ win Canadian Film Fest awards"]. Toronto Star, June 8, 2020.