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15th DMZ Docs(2023)

I AM DOCU



A Red Color Pencil

Jude KANG

  • Korea
  • 2023
  • 40min
  • 12 +
  • DCP
  • color/black and white

World Premiere

Synopsis

Wan-soon, a 9-year-old girl living on the island, managed to survive a massacre that took place 75 years ago. The lingering effects of this unresolved ordeal are emphasized, and the girl embarks on a journey to depict the vivid red fragments that remain in her memory, using a red colored pencil as her means of expression.  

Review

 Wan-soon was a diver. Now she is the chairperson of the 4.3 survivors' group in Bukchon-ri, Jeju Island, where she helps survivors get compensation and helps the elderly in the village get jobs. At night, she paints. The white canvas in front of her unfolds her memories as a survivor of Jeju 4.3 and a bereaved family member. The director helps her draw, guiding her to give form to memories that she had to keep to herself for a long time. It is the simple animation that brings both practices, drawing and oral history, to life. These revitalized memories become the starting point for uncovering buried histories and healing unhealed wounds. At a time when the Western Youth Organization and other defenders of the genocide are still at large, this is a delicate and fragile documentary practice with lasting resonance.

Director

  • Jude KANG

    Hwirin has directed five films, including the acclaimed Grandma Ocean (2012), which earned her the Best Film Award at the Asiana International Short Film Festival. Renowned for her inventive fusion of documentaries with animation, Hwirin's work meticulously examines families and individuals grappling with the lasting impacts of war and violence, with a particular emphasis on trauma. Her films explore the intricate dimensions of war and violence, delivering thought-provoking insights on these profound themes.

Credit