- dir. Sunguen Kim
- year. 2016
- country. South Korea
- run-time. 78mins, plus Director Q&A
- language. Korean, English sub-titles
FREE
Doors 2PM - Film 2.30PM
Memories are traced of a 10 year resistance against construction of a huge military base at Gangjeong village, Jeju Island, South Korea. Facing repeated police crackdowns on the protestors’ encampment at the military housing complex construction site, one of the activists comments: “We’re living the 25th hour.” The sustainability of the hour is questioned throughout the film, as the day unfolds, evoking different moments in the history of the struggle. Exploring the possibility of filmmaking as a means of active memory, this film follows the life of activism after its visible phases.
Jeju Island has suffered a history of marginalization from the rest of South Korea due to islanders uprising against division of Korea after WW2. Under the operation name “Red Hunt” ultra-rightwing paramilitaries, under command of the US military government, massacred over 30,000 civilians. Memories of the massacre have been suppressed throughout the modern history of South Korea. The continuing resistance in Gangjeong signifies active remembering of the historical oppression through civil disobedience.
The screening is followed by a Q&A with director Sungeun Kim.
