London Korean Film Festival 2018:
Documentary Fortnight
11th-19th August
The London Korean Film Festival 2018 (LKFF) presents a very special series of films and events showcasing exemplary pieces of independent documentary filmmaking from Korea. Based around themes of social justice and political resistance, this unique documentary programme will see acclaimed directors Kim Dong Won and Song Yun-hyeok present their films across two weekends, joined by noted critic Nam In Young for a selection of free screenings, panel discussions, and in-depth conversations.
The work of political filmmaking collectives gained recognition globally in the 60s, with Japan’s Ogawa Shinsuke and his ‘Ogawa Pro’ group being a notable example. Britain had its own collectives organised around common political causes too. Amongst others, feminist film groups formed across the country in the 70s and 80s, with the Greenham Commons all-women anti-nuclear project garnering particular recognition. This culture emerged in South Korea in the late 1980s with a few film collectives whose aims were to document and resist social injustice, of which Kim Dong Won and his P.U.R.N. Production collective are exemplary. Kim became a major figure in the scene, inspiring his fellow documentary filmmakers thanks to the intimacy of his relationship with his subjects, as well as his approach to recording them. The country has continued to produce an impressive volume of politically driven documentaries each year, films that reflect and engage with the rapid social change and political upheaval of the past few decades.
The LKFF are delighted to bring Kim Dong Won to the UK to present a selection of his works from the past four decades along with films by two young filmmakers actively involved in documentary film collectives, Park Bae-il and Song Yun-hyeok.
All screenings and events are free to attend (note: booking is essential):
- The Sanggyedong Olympics (Kim Dong Won, 1988 / 27min)
- The Six Day Fight in Myeong-Dong Cathedral (Kim Dong Won, 1997 / 74min)
- Repatriation (Kim Dong Won, 2003 / 148min)
- Jung Il-woo, My Friend (Kim Dong Won, 2017 / 85min)
- A Slice Room (Song Yun-hyeok, 2016 / 69min)
- Sosongri (Park Bae-il, 2017 / 87min