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| ▲ This poster of the 16th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, which runs Sept. 26-Oct. 2, is provided by the organizer. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Yonhap) -- DMZ International Documentary Film Festival to Open on the 26th, Featuring 140 Films Including ‘Farming the Revolution’
The 16th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, a prominent documentary film event, will kick off on September 26. This year, it will once again showcase films that reflect and critique various global realities.
During a press conference held on the 4th at a cinema in central Seoul, DMZ Documentary Festival Director Jang Hae-rang unveiled key details of the upcoming event, including the film lineup. The festival will run for seven days until October 2, taking place across multiple locations in Gyeonggi Province, including Megabox Kintex.
A total of 140 documentaries from 43 countries will be screened, with 80 feature-length films and 60 short films. Director Jang noted that the number of films has slightly decreased compared to last year due to budget cuts affecting the festival’s operations. He emphasized the festival’s ongoing challenges due to reduced financial support.
This year’s festival theme is “Action for Friendship and Solidarity,” with the film selection curated to align with this message. The opening film will be Farming the Revolution, co-directed by Indian filmmakers Nishtha Jain and Aakashi Basumatary. The documentary covers the large-scale protests by Indian farmers in 2020 against agricultural laws, capturing on-the-ground experiences and voices.
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| ▲ This still image of Indian documentary film "Farming the Revolution" is provided by the South Korean organizing committee of the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
The closing film is French director Arnaud Desplechin’s autobiographical documentary Filmlovers!, which reflects his deep passion for cinema.
In the international competition section, 10 films have been invited, including the opening film Farming the Revolution. Other notable entries include Union, which follows the efforts of Amazon workers in the U.S. to form a labor union, and In Limbo, directed by Alina Maksymenko, which portrays daily life in war-torn Ukraine.
A special retrospective will also spotlight the work of German architectural documentary filmmaker Heinz Emigholz. It will feature screenings of 14 of his films and an exhibition of hundreds of his drawings, showcasing his talent as a visual artist.
The DMZ International Documentary Film Festival plans to continue expanding its audience engagement by hosting year-round documentary screenings. Director Jang stated, "We aim to shift to a year-round programming model."
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