2023

2020~ 2022

Asian Docs Co-Production Network Project Forum

A forum will be held during the 15th DMZ Docs to reflect on the progress of the Asian Youth Documentary Co-Production Program, now in its fifth year. The forum will review past projects and discuss the direction of future co-productions

5th Asian Docs Co-Production Network Project Showcase

The showcase, which follows the planning stages of the projects of four teams participating in the 'Asian Youth Documentary Co-production' project, provides a sneak peek into the unique projects of the co-production teams that will be screened at the 16th DMZ Docs, as well as the documentary projects co-produced by the Korea National University of Arts and the Kazakh National Academy of Arts.

5th Asian Docs Co-Production Network Project

Virgin Road

In 1973, 25 Taiwanese female workers were drowned in a ferry accident while on their way to work at Gaoxiong’s Export Processing Zone. These female workers were buried collectively under Taiwan’s patriarchy system for being unmarried women, and they became otherized in the social realms of both nation and family and wandered around Gaoxiong as virgin ghosts.
This film is a road movie that follows along these female ghosts buried in ‘twenty-five woman’s grave’. This cinematic process traversing the political and social backgrounds of Asia, from Incheon in Korea to the locations of disasters in Gaoxiong, Taiwan, questions about the reality in which Asian women had to become ghosts in the urban history dotted with capitalism and industrialization.

Come Up for Air

Is marriage a blessing? Or is it a curse? Four East Asian women ponder this question.
If you could have one wish come true, what would it be? Such a simple question reveals the history and background of Taiwan, China, and Japan.
Beibei, who has seen her mother's hardships, wishes to succeed in her work, not as a housewife but as a human being. Veronica empathizes with her single mother's past and understands the emotions and meanings that marriage carries for a woman's life. Kaho wants to work with her partner to create a future in which women's rights are guaranteed. In the process of their engagement, they are pursuing what they see as a better marriage style than the current marriage system. Ami has broken up with her boyfriend of five years and is wondering what form happiness takes for her. She wants to have a happy family like her parents one day. The intersection of these four people with different ideologies and backgrounds regarding marriage creates a scientific reaction as different perspectives take root in each of them.

A Wall of Paper

There are queers living in Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, and China. They can be alone, cohabitating with their partners, married, or raising children. But their lives may or may not be legally recognized, dep ending on the country they live in. Unfortunately, queers living in most Asian countries do not have the right to form legally recognized families. Queers from four Asian countries in similar but different situations engage in a curious dialogue about each other’s lives. As it turns out, while a piece of pa per called marriage or adoption certificate does not recognize their lives, the law cannot deny or erase their existence.

Ngoh Hiang

Claudia, a participant in the DMZ program, ignites a captivating journey during a virtual meeting by asking a thought-provoking question: "If you've never been to this place, would you think you're from here?" Her exploration takes her to China, guided by a researcher from the Genealogy Society of Singapore. Embracing the notion of "roots," Claudia discovers the taste of home in foreign lands. In the vibrant streets of Anxi, she uncovers Fujian culture through a spice shop and local connections.
Claudia's vulnerability shines as she navigates cultural barriers, leading to a poignant reunion with long-lost relatives. As she engages with tradition and identity, Claudia's journey culminates in her Singaporean home, cementing a profound connection to her heritage. The film concludes with Claudia's introspective revelation, encapsulating her transformation: "I am Claudia, a Singapore Fujian person." A tale of self-discovery and cultural understanding unfolds across borders.

KOR-KAZAKH Documentary Co-creation·production Project

A collaboration between the Kazakh National Academy of Arts(KazNAA), Korea National University of Arts(KARTS), and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, the KOR-KAZAKH Documentary Co-creation·production Project is a collaboration between young artists from both countries to create documentary works through continuous collaboration from conception to completion. The four projects, which explore diasporic space and time through apples that can no longer be found in Kazakhstan's capital city of Almaty, the body of Kazakh-Korean artist Anna Tsoy, a fictional train that has been running for 86 years, and cherries from the village of Ushtobe, will be introduced for the first time in Korea through the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival Showcase program. This co-production project is being led by Banu RAMAZANOVA(KazNAA), Zhanana KURMASHEVA(KazNAA), JEON Gyuchan(KARTS), and KANG Sang-woo(KARTS).

KQonnection

Hiraeth

Four Passengers

Cherry Sprout

Youth Documentary Production Workshop 2023

• [Dogog Elementary School] On Air

Park Seunggyu, Baek Seungeun, Yoon Rahee, Park Seohee, Kim Gyurin, Lee Soyul, Yang Hayeon, Gwak Yuna │ Korea │ 2023 │ 14min

Rrrrrr!!!!!!!! Startled for a moment by the alarm, we shout, "Just five more minutes!" as we throw a bit of a tantrum. When we finally get over it, we arrive at school. Our daily routine unfolds, accompanied by the questions that are thrown our way. "Do you think the time you spend studying at academies is more important, or is the time you spend with friends more valuable?" Our answers are...

• [Songhyeon Elementary School] Small Adult

LEE Gang-gi, KIM Ryeowon, KIM Jinyoung, LIM Soryul │ Korea │ 2023 │ 19min

The ever-accelerating youth culture. They experience a variety of enjoyable cultures, but sometimes they indulge in cultures that may not be appropriate for their age. So we have decided to call young people who enjoy cultures that may not be age-appropriate 'little adults'. Let's explore the stories of these little adults, their experiences in this culture, the perspectives of others and why they have emerged.

• [Ilsan Daejin High School] Dear Snails Waiting for the Rainbow

Kim Soomin, Choi Dayeon, Kim Mina │ Korea │ 2023 │ 32min

One day, Da-yeon finds herself walking alone on her way home, and she comes across someone protesting against the 'Anti-Discrimination Law.' They claim that the law promotes 'homosexuality.' Da-yeon can't help but wonder, "But isn't love something that shouldn't be opposed from the start? Can anyone really oppose someone else's love?" Da-yeon, Su-min, and Min-ah start asking their friends about their thoughts on 'queerness.' Most of their friends agree that discrimination is unjust, but they feel it's difficult to reveal their own 'LGBT+' identity to friends or family. Those who oppose homosexuality are more open about their views, but it becomes apparent that discussing diverse sexual identities is not easy for us in school or at our academies. Small cracks begin to appear in our once effortlessly normal daily lives. As the rain begins to fall, we go in search of a snail revealing itself on the earth's surface. And to create a film like a letter to friends who haven't yet revealed themselves to the world, filled with these concerns, in order to paint a slightly more colorful and diverse world.

• [Hoseo High School] I'll Be Going to School

Koo Jagyung, Ko Gayeong, Lee Hohyung, Hong Younjung, Hwang Jaekyung │ Korea │ 2023 │ 21min

The film examines the current status of inclusive education in South Korea, including the target demographics and the schools where inclusive education is being implemented. Specifically, it delves into the perspectives of the stakeholders involved, such as the guardians of students with special educational needs, educational administrators responsible for special education at the regional level, as well as teachers. Aims to capture their unique viewpoints on inclusive education. In addition, the film incorporates insights from expert interviews to address the considerations regarding the direction in which special education in South Korea should progress at this juncture.

• Korean School of Malaysia] SK SEKSYEN 13 SHAH ALAM

Lee Jaewon, Sung Yuna, Lee Gyugyeong, Lee Jaey, Cho Euiseong, Kim Choa, Lee Taebin, Kim Ye Dam, Kim Ki chan, Sung Do jun │ Malaysia │ 2023 │ 11min

In Malaysia, a country where various cultures coexist, there are schools with strong connections to South Korea. I'd like to talk about what South Korea looks like within Malaysian schools.