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| ▲ This poster of the Seoul International Whistleblower Film Festival is provided by the organizers. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul International Whistleblower Film Festival, which showcases films that challenge social injustice or explore inner conflicts, will take place from Oct. 24 to 26 at the Roh Moo-hyun Civic Center in central Seoul’s Jongno district, the festival’s organizing committee said Wednesday.
Under the slogan “Tell Me Your Secret,” the festival will screen 26 feature films, short films and documentaries from around the world. Out of 151 submissions from 37 countries, 26 films were selected through a review process, including eight Korean works.
The opening film will be “Al Awda,” a feature-length documentary by director Jason Soo that depicts 22 activists opposing Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip. The closing film, “5.18 Hinzpeter Story,” directed by Jang Young-joo, captures journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter’s coverage of the May 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising.
A special section titled “Civil War Films” will also be presented, featuring works such as “Jeongdori” by Kim Dae-hyun, “Goonrak” by Mo Hyun-shin, and “Danka, Priscilla Danka” by Iñaki Velázquez.
Festival executive director Kim Sung-jae, former assistant minister of culture, sports and tourism, said, “This section aims to remind audiences of the dangers of civil war and coups, and, in the spirit of the ‘Whistleblower Film Festival,’ to sound the alarm against such threats.”
The festival will also host special forums where experts and citizens will discuss themes such as the roots of state violence, the struggle between capital power and labor, the role of documentaries in representing reality, and the current challenges facing Korean cinema.
This year’s edition is organized by the Korea Smart Cooperative, which supports cultural and artistic professionals, and is also receiving public sponsorship through the social activism crowdfunding platform “Socialfunch.”
Former Writers’ Association of Korea board member Yoon Jeong-mo will again serve as chair of the organizing committee, joined by film critic Oh Dong-jin as co-chair.
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