22 Short Films you cannot miss at the 11th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (Part 2)

By Asian Film Festival on September 5, 2019 • ( Leave a comment )

We continue with our list of short films you shouldn’t miss at the 11th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival which will take place from September 20th – 27th, in Goyang & Paju, Korea.

About the festival:
Over the past decade, DMZ International Documentary Film Festival has grown into the leading documentary festival in Korea and Asia. Now it presents its vision and direction more clearly with the documentary selections and program events. In overall, the number of Korean and Asian films has significantly increased in overall. Also, the quality and number of submitted Asian documentaries introduced in Global Vision and Showcase, as well as International and Asian Competitions, have increased considerably. DMZ DOCS intends to discover and introduce talented filmmakers and Asian documentaries that are actively progressing, and serve as a bridge between the world and Asia. It will be the year to confirm the status of DMZ DOCS as a significant platform to meet Asian documentaries and build partnerships. (DMZ Web)

Selected Films:

Hammering by Choi Seo-yoon – Korea | 2018 – 34 minutes
Section: Korean Docs Showcase

A journey of my writing raps on the absurdity of redevelopment. My friends and I have been hurt by bad landlords. People compulsorily evicted from their homes are angry but so helpless. The film expresses and releases the anger by rapping.

Hand, Remember, Mosaic by Park Eunsun – Korea | 2019 – 24 minutes
Section: Short Competition

An illustrator Eunseon has ignored difficult things but has done only what she liked. Her friends don’t shy away from candlelight protests and the Sewol ferry incident. She feels ashamed and isolated, and introspects herself. She confronts her trauma related with the Gwangju Uprising and pulls up courage to overcome it. When she visits the place after 20 years, she realizes things won’t get better so quickly.

How Far I’ll Go by Ucu Agustin – Indonesia, USA | 2019 – 34 minutes
Section: Global Vision

Andrea and Salsabila are teenage girls, living with their blindness in two different countries, USA and Indonesia. They share the same idea: to gain independent to prepare for a better future!

Lifeboat by Skye Fitzgerald – USA, Malta | 2018 – 35 minutes
Section: Global Vision

Volunteers from a German non-profit risk the waves of the Mediterranean to pluck refugees from sinking rafts pushing off from Libya in the middle of the night. LIFEBOAT puts a human face on one of the world’s greatest contemporary, global crises and provides a spark of hope surrounding how civil society can intervene in the refugee crisis in a meaningful way.

Little Miss Sumo by Matthew Kay – USA, UK | 2018 – 19 minutes
Section: Global Vision

Hiyori will have to retire at the age of 21. Fighting tradition, Hiyori embarks on a remarkable journey, confronting obstacles in an attempt to help change Japan’s national sport forever.

Quan Ma He by Lee Yong Chao – Taiwan | 2018 – 26 minutes
Section: Short Competition

In a village on the Quan Ma River in Upper Burma, Old Hong and Lady Hong prepare to welcome their first child into the world. This urges Old Hong to think about the future. He ponders whether he should continue in his father’s footsteps as a goat herder or take his new family relocate from the Quan Ma River.

Queer053 by Emmanuel Moon-Chil Park – Korea | 2019 – 39 minutes
Section: Short Competition

A queer culture festival has been held in Daegu, a city of conservatives, for ten years, which comes second after Seoul. When people were ignorant of “queer,” they began reckless ventures. Despite the disapproval of authorities and the interruption of hostile groups, the festival has become a significant human rights festival in the region. The story of a festival who broke through hatred and discrimination.

Tale of One or Many Mountains by Jane Jin Kaisen – Korea, Denmark | 2017 – 21 minutes
Section: DMZ Vision – Inter-Korea

There is a mountain that is divided between what is today North Korea and China. An invisible borderline cuts across its crater lake. The mountain goes by many names. It is known in Korea as Baekdusan whereas in China it is called Changbaishan. Through North Korean, South Korean, Chinese narratives, the film testifies to some of the numerous stories and projections that surround the mountain.

Schedule:
September 22nd | Sunday | Lotte Cinema Paju Outlets 7 | 12:30 pm

The Fan by Jeong Ho-eun – Korea | 2018 – 8 minutes
Section: Youth Competition

As the K-pop grows, the fandom has now become a culture. The film tells this special kind of love from fans to K-pop idols and the culture they create.

Schedule:
September 22nd | Sunday | Megabox Baekseok Comport 6 | 15:00 pm

The Sea Recalls by Aekaphong Saransate – Thailand | 2018 – 27 minutes
Section: Short Competition

In 2016, Aekaphong’s uncle was murdered in his house alongside his wife. A year later, Aekaphong returns to his hometown to investigate the man’s past and come to terms with his absence.

Tokyo Kurds by Hyuga Fumiari – Japan | 2018 – 20 minutes
Section: Short Competition

It is difficult to get refugee status in Japan. In 2016, the number of recognized as refugees was 28 out of 10,901. For the past 20 years, Turkish Kurds have been fleeing from prejudice and persecution and coming to the Tokyo area, where they now number about 1,500. Among them is 18-year-old Ozan.

For more information about the program and schedule please visit the official website of the festival: DMZ Docs Website

To see Part 1 of this article please go to this link: PART 1