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"The Heart of Yenin," a 2008 joint production between Germany and Israel, will open the 1st DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival, Thursday, in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The event will continue through Oct. 26 near the buffer zone north of Seoul.
/ Courtesy of festival organizer |
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas is one of the most heavily fortified areas in the world, but the no-man's land is also home to some of the rarest flora and fauna and is the most visited tourist attraction in South Korea.
The 1st DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival will open Thursday through Oct. 26 in the vicinity of the buffer zone to transform the living Cold War remnant into a festive venue for documentary films.
"The DMZ possesses more fictional elements than fiction, with many tearful stories to tell. Gyeonggi Province and Korea can't claim it as its own ― it is a world heritage. It has come to symbolize more than ideological conflicts and is a scientifically and historically significant space," said film festival chairman and Gyeonggi Province governor Kim Moon-soo in a press conference earlier this month in Seoul.
"I think I can say the festival will have succeeded if it simply inspires someone to reflect about the DMZ and the nature of documentaries," said actor and festival director Cho Jae-hyun.
The inaugural edition of the festival will feature 61 films from 33 countries, and will open with "The Heart of Yenin" (2008, Germany/Israel). This film documents the extraordinary story of a Palestinian man who decides to donate his dead son's organs to Israeli children ― despite the fact that his child was shot to death by an Israeli soldier. The camera follows the father's journey two years later to meet the six children who survived thanks to the organ transplant.
Movies will be screened in eight sections including an international competition section. The festival programmer said diverse subject matter was the core focus of the selection, and recommends the following films:
"Cooking History" (2009, Slovakia/Czech Republic/Austria/Finland) recounts tales told by men who served in various 20th-century European wars as cooks. The men's anecdotes provide intimate details that history textbooks and archives cannot offer, but also provide insight into the present and what it means to be a survivor of war.
"Slingshot Hip Hop" (2008, Palestine/United States) takes viewers into the hip-hop culture that is taking root among youths in Palestine. Young rappers chant lines such as, "We're not terrorists, you are," and show that music can be more powerful than weapons.
"The Reckoning" (2009, US) depicts the epic battle of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as it set out for justice against rebel leaders of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda.
"The Red Chapel," a 2008 Danish documentary, is about a Danish troupe's visit to North Korea. The documentary features two North Korean adoptees.
/ Courtesy of festival organizer |
While there are a good number of films that deal with grave subject matter, there are also featured works providing a glimpse into the world of fashion. "The September Issue" (2009, USA) features Vogue magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who inspired the hit novel-turned-movie "The Devil Wears Prada." The film goes behind the scenes to document the making of the magazine's legendary September 2007 edition, which weighed more than 2 kilograms and sold over 13 million copies worldwide.
"The Yes Men Fix the World" (2008, France/USA) captures the flight of the Yes Men. In 2004, a BBC news report created a sensation when a group of American civil activists posed as spokespeople for the multinational corporation DOW Chemical, saying they would take full responsibility for the 1984 Bhopal disaster in India and reimburse victims.
Last but not least, the DMZ festival provides insight into the northern side of the 38th Parallel. "The Red Chapel" (2008, Denmark), which is among a handful of North Korea-related films, follows the small Danish theater troupe Red Chapel on their exclusive visit to the Communist state. In particular, two members are North Korean adoptees who get to visit their birth country for the first time.
Visitors are invited to take part of walking and bicycle tours along the DMZ. For more information about the festival, visit www.dmzdocs.com.
hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr |
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