Director Johnny Ma on the SOUNDS OF FILM

In this episode of The Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham speaks with filmmaker Johnny Ma, writer and director of The Mother and the Bear. The film tells the story of a Korean mother who travels to Winnipeg after her daughter’s accident and unexpectedly finds herself on a path of personal transformation.

Johnny Ma explains how the project began years earlier during a stay at a small hostel in Seoul. A conversation with the woman running the hostel planted the initial seed for the film’s emotional core.

The discussion explores how the movie balances humor with deeply human themes, its cross-cultural lens, and the creative challenges of shooting in the stark Winnipeg winter. Ma also reflects on the film’s intimate performances and the story’s focus on identity, family expectations, and the process of rediscovering oneself.

The Sounds of Film is a long-running weekly program featuring conversations with filmmakers, composers, authors, and notable figures in arts and culture. Past guests have included Laurie Anderson, DA Pennebaker, Billy Joel, Alexander Payne, Marco Beltrami, Jordan Peele, and many others who have shaped contemporary cinema and music.

Listeners can follow The Sounds of Film on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and all major podcast platforms.