Leading with Your Heart: Khoa Lê’s Directing Style
Khoa Lê is a Montreal-based director recognised for his work in film, television, and advertising. With his refined visuals and accessible creative language, he has developed a unique signature that blurs the boundaries between reality and imagination.
In 2024, his feature film MÁ SÀI GÒN garnered widespread acclaim, earning multiple awards and being screened in over 30 countries, cementing his reputation on the international stage. The film was featured at the prestigious Fondazione Prada in Milan in 2023 and received the Special Jury Prize at RIDM 2023, as well as the Best Canadian Director award at the 2023 Doxa Festival in Vancouver. In 2024, it also won the Grand Prix for Digital Products and Experiences at the Concours Idéa.
Khoa’s distinctive approach is driven by a strong artistic vision and expertise in content marketing. His talent for design enhances the visual appeal of his projects, while his ability to lead teams and subjects with care and empathy results in compelling, authentic work.
With his boundless creativity, vibrant energy, and a stellar portfolio that includes collaborations with SAQ, Héma-Québec, and the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation, Khoa is a perfect fit for ROMEO, bringing a fresh and authentic perspective to the team.
Name: Khoa Lê
Location: MontreaL
Repped by/in: ROMEO
Awards: Fondazione Prada 2023: Special exhibition – Má Sài Gòn
DOXA Film Festival 2023: Best Canadian Director – Má Sài Gòn
And many more!!!
LBB> What are some upcoming projects that you're excited about? Tell us a bit about them?
Khoa> Right now, I’m deep into two new feature films that are taking up most of my brain space.
One is a fictional piece that lives somewhere between horror and poetry. A dead person is at the centre of the story, and the film explores their lingering connection to the living. It’s eerie, emotional, and surprisingly tender.
The other is a documentary that goes behind the scenes of theatre life, zooming in on what happens in the dressing rooms. It’s quiet, intimate, and full of those small, human moments I love to capture.
Then, there's something completely different that I’m just as excited about. About a year ago, I launched Together Club, a kind of social playground for people to connect in more meaningful ways and spark new encounters. It’s not an artistic project per se, but it brings me a lot of joy.
Outside of film, I co-founded Afterglo, a platform centred on sexual wellness and self-exploration. It’s about creating a safe space for people to connect more honestly with themselves and their desires. In the past year, that vision expanded into Together Club.
Afterglo’s social club, where we host in-person events that bring people together in fun, thoughtful ways. Both are rooted in the same idea: to spark real connection – with yourself and with others. It’s not a new project, but I’m still very excited about this baby that I created a few years ago with my dear friend Kim.
LBB> What excites you in the advertising industry right now, as a director? Any trends or changes that open new opportunities?
Khoa> What I love the most about directing ads is the variety. Each project brings its own language, its own rhythm, and a new group of people to collaborate with. I’m not really into chasing trends. I care more about crafting visual and narrative worlds that actually mean something.
That said, I’m really inspired by how much creative freedom is showing up in commercial work lately. Some of the most interesting projects are those that break away from convention and take risks. With platforms like Instagram and TikTok constantly shifting the rules, there’s this great pressure to be more inventive. You can’t play it safe anymore, and that’s where real creative opportunity lives.
LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?
Khoa> I’m drawn to scripts that don’t underestimate the audience’s intelligence, no matter the concept, format, or tone. Those that trust the viewer to feel their way through it, instead of spelling everything out for them.
LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?
Khoa> I draw a lot of inspiration from art. I consume a tonne of cinema, theatre, music, and dance. When I read a script, I usually get quick flashes of images – impulses that go in all directions and don’t always make sense right away. But I allow them to exist.
Then, at some point, my mind starts sorting them out on its own. The images that resonate most stick around, and the rest fade away. Once that instinctive phase has settled, I dive into research to sharpen the vision and start shaping the treatment from there.
LBB> If the script is for a brand that you're not familiar with/ don’t have a big affinity with or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side of the ad? If it’s important to you, how do you do it?
Khoa> When I’m new to a brand, before stepping into the director’s role, I try to put myself in the shoes of someone who uses the product. I want to understand the brand on an emotional level first. I lead with my heart, then bring in my head.
LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?
Khoa> For me, a director must primarily possess the ability to make everyone feel comfortable, whether they're from the agency, the client, the production team, or the technical crew. I view my role as a blend of creativity and humanity.
I strive to listen to everyone and draw out the best from each individual involved. As a director, I rely on others; I’m nothing without the creative team and my crew – much like a conductor depends on their musicians.
It’s crucial that I set aside my ego and remind everyone – including myself – that we’re all playing for the same team. In the advertising industry, there can often be too much ego at play, which can hinder collaboration. I make it a priority to diffuse any tension quickly and foster a spirit of collaboration among all participants.
This approach enhances the creative process. It also cultivates a supportive environment where everyone feels valued and invested in the project’s success.
Ultimately, I believe great advertising arises from collective effort, where every contribution is recognised. Hopefully, the days of the tyrannical director are over!
Today, effective leadership is all about collaboration and making everyone feel valued, which really helps the team thrive together.
LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about – is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?
Khoa> I’m drawn to stories about people: the beauty, the flaws, and the complexity of being human. That’s what moves me the most.
In terms of form, I love projects that let me stretch the boundaries of visual and sound language. A strong aesthetic matters to me. I’m especially energised by scripts that give space for poetic, carefully crafted imagery.
When there’s room to make something visually rich and emotionally layered, I’m all in.
LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?
Khoa> Since I come from an art and cinema background, people often assume I’m all about aesthetics, that I only take on visually driven or ‘artsy’ projects. But at my core, I’m a director who loves storytelling just as much as I love craft and technique.
There’s this misconception that I might be too precious or too niche for certain types of work, which really isn’t the case. What I enjoy most in advertising is the collaborative side of things. I get just as much energy from a more classic brief, as long as the team is strong and the collaboration is good. For me, it’s less about the style of the project and more about the people and the shared vision behind it.
LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?
Khoa> One time, we had a scene that called for a lizard. Everything was ready, but Mister lizard decided not to show up to set. So, at the very last minute, we replaced it with a snake.
The problem was, I have a serious phobia of reptiles.
I can’t look at them in real life or even on a screen. Even a fake, wooden snake terrifies me. I agreed to the snake on one condition: I couldn’t be anywhere near it. So I left the set for an hour and let my DP take over while I stayed in another building.
It might not seem like a major production issue, but for me, it was honestly traumatic. Moral of the story? Never trust a lizard. They’re incredibly unreliable.
LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?
Khoa> Good ideas can come from anywhere. I’d be foolish not to catch them when they show up in front of me. So yes, I’ll defend my vision when I believe in it, but I also believe in the value of different perspectives. Collaboration is part of the process. It's part of the fun.
That said, if you want to change my mind, come prepared with sharp, well-thought-out arguments. I’m all ears… But you’ve got to earn it.
LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentoring and apprenticeships on set?
Khoa> Absolutely. I come from an immigrant background, and I know firsthand how important it is to be given a chance. I wouldn’t be where I am today if people hadn’t shared their time, access, and privilege with me early on. Those first opportunities – and the generosity of people who believed in me – made all the difference.
Now, I see it as my responsibility to do the same for others. I’m committed to creating space for people who’ve been historically excluded or overlooked, and I’m always open to mentoring and sharing whatever tools I have.
For me, equity, diversity, and inclusion aren’t just ideals; they’re a practice, and they’re part of how I work every day.
LBB> Your work is now presented in so many different formats – to what extent do you keep each in mind while you're working (and, equally, to what degree is it possible to do so)?
Khoa> In my artistic practice, I don’t really start with the format in mind. I begin with what I want to say, what I want to feel, or what I’m trying to explore. Letting form lead too early in the process feels limiting. I prefer to follow the impulses and ideas first, then figure out the shape it should take.
That said, I also enjoy working within constraints. When I’m directing for television or advertising, the format comes first, and that structure becomes part of the creative process.
My brain shifts into a different mode. So I guess I’m contradicting myself a bit... but I’m okay with that. On to the next question.
LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work (e.g. virtual production, interactive storytelling, AI/data-driven visuals etc)?
Khoa> I don’t have a definitive answer to that just yet. Like most people, I’m observing and trying to make sense of it all. I’m not against it, and I’m not blindly for it either. I’m curious and open. I think it’s important to stay ethically critical of new technologies, while also making the effort to truly understand them before passing judgement. It’s a space I’m watching closely, with both interest and caution.
LBB> Which pieces of your work do you feel show what you do best – and why?
Khoa> My most recent feature film, ‘MÁ SÀI GÒN’, is a piece that’s especially close to my heart. I’m not sure if it’s my ‘best’ work, but it’s one I carried with a lot of love and integrity. It explores themes that are deeply personal to me: identity and family. Not a day goes by where I don’t reflect on who I am, where I belong, and how I relate to the people and places that shape me.
I also gave myself a lot of artistic freedom on this film, or – maybe more accurately – I gave myself permission to get things wrong, to play, and to take risks. That openness really shaped the film and the process behind it.
