Synopsis

April 16, 2014. A cruise ship with 476 passengers left for Jeju Island. And 304 passengers were never able to come back. Everyone watched the scene of 304 universes disappearing through live broadcasting. In the face of this painful disaster, some struggled to remember and some tried their best to erase the whole thing. This film records the collective trauma of Korean society after the disaster and asks why the 304 victims can’ t peacefully rest in the eternal sleep. [Via: Diaspora Film Festival 2017]

Director

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  4.16 Act Media Committee
  

  바다에서 온 편지 A letter from the Sea (2015)
  망각과 기억1 416 Project: Oblivion and Memory (2016)

  For the last three years, the mainstream media has distorted and dismissed the issues and news surrounding the Sewol Ferry disaster. On the other hand, the April 16 (4.16 Media Team) Media Project Team has been consistently and persistently with the families of Sewol Ferry disaster.What was it like to live as survivors of the disaster? What about the civilian divers who have risked their lives to salvage the bodies who have been continually maligned and accused of conduncting such brave acts of heroism for their own self-interests or fame? What was their "three years" have been like for them? Those with overarching lies and cover-ups, trying to distort the truth and evading from responsibilities; theater performing artists who have fought against obscurity and finally the collective efforts to preserve and commemorate the victims of the disaster with memorials and education. The 4.16 Media Committee hopes to reflect these 3 years and moving forward ask ourselves how we can confront the the returning spring.

Review

<Forgetting and Remembering 2: Reflection> is a 5-section omnibus documentary which focuses on the less highlighted issues surrounding the Sewol ferry disaster. Director Ahn Chang-gyu’s <Boarding> is about Sung-mook Kim, the last passenger and the last escapee of the Sewol ferry. The out-focused portrait of a young victim of the Sewol ferry behind Kim’s face-who reminisce the short meeting with a boy who gave his life vest to his friend-seems to speak to the audience. <Diver>, the posthumous film of director Park Jong-pil, covers the life and death of the late diver Kim Kwan-hong. By adding the struggle of those left behind after his funeral, Park reflects his wish for Kim’s death to be nothing in vain. Kim Hwan-tae’s <Five Enemies against Sewol> tracks down the deep-rooted evil instead of focusing on the victims like other films. The satire of this film works as an instrument to face those who cannot bear to see. Director Kim Tae-il and Joo Ro-mi’s <Stopped Walking> is a film about the pantomime performer Ryu Sung-gook who 'speaks with his body.' This film delineates the process of Ryu-who performed mime acts every Saturday at the Marronnier park for introspection of his indifference-and the mothers of Sewol ferry disaster’s victims healing through their meeting at the play 'His and Her Wardrobe.' Moon Sung-jun’s <Reach to Remember> displays the conflicts between citizens concerning the construct of the Ansan Sewol ferry monument park. The bereaved had to persuade the opponents by emphasizing that the monumental park is not an unpleasant facility, but a space with business values. Conflicts like this make us ponder upon the way we embrace death. [Kim So-hee]

Credits

• Director  4.16 Act Media Committee
• Producer  Park Jong-pil, Kim Il-rhan
• Cinematographer  Um Hee-chan, Boo Sung-pil, Kim Min-kyu, Lee Byung-Ki, Mun sung-jun
• Editor  An Chang-gyu, Park Jong-pil, Kim Hwan-tae, Kim Tae-il, Ju Ro-mi, Mun Sung-jun

Contribution & World Sales

• Contribution & World Sales  Cinema DAL
• Phone  82 2 337 2135
• E-Mail  humi@cinemadal.com