The Unforgiven asks a profound question about whether it is possible for a war criminal to find true forgiveness. During the Bosnian War, Esad Landzo was a 19-year-old guard at a prison camp, where he tortured and murdered civilians for four years. He even committed the inhumane crime of sexually torturing prisoners in front of their family members. When he resolves to apologize to his victims and seek their forgiveness, how should we respond? The director opts for the ‘passive’ way of keeping the perspectives of the perpetrator and victims separate. The film does not emphasize Esad’s sense of guilt and sincerity to argue that it is time for him to be forgiven. Nor does it highlight the enduring pain suffered by the victims to conclude that they are not ready to impart forgiveness. This careful approach allows the audience to find out more about both side of the story, and become cool-headedly yet passionately enraged about the unhealed wounds of the war. This fascinating work delves deeper into the problem by securing an emotional distance from it. [KIM Bonyeon]