서울국제여성영화제

The 21st Seoul International Women’s Film Festival (SIWFF, Executive Director PARK Kwang-su) announced films and events recommended by festival programmers before the its opening in Thursday, August 29, 2019.

Opening Film – God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya
The opening film God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya is based on the real incident on the Orthodox Epiphany Day in 2014 when a woman gets into serious trouble. Chair person of film selection committee KWON Eunsun explains, “In terms of its feminist perspective and completeness, the film shows the essence of women’s film of the year 2019. The director boldly pushes her vision like the protagonist who doesn’t budge an inch on the patriarchal oppression. It is a must-see film.”

A film for audiences who are tired of girly fantasy - Ladyworld
The International Competition section opens its second chapter this year with more daring and controversial films. If you are tired of girly fantasy films, you should watch the film Ladyworld, a bizarre fable of eight teenage girls trapped in a house. With only female casts, the film intends to distort the myth of conventional girlhood and experiment the identity of girls in an isolated place.
Leakage is a satire of the modern Iranian society through a middle-aged woman with oil coming out of her body and people around her. Despite the seriousness of issues such as poverty, migration, and plight of women, the film’s brilliant idea makes the audiences fully absorbed into characters.
Take Me Somewhere Nice is the sensual depiction of a girl’s constant desire, irresistible young energy, and the curiosity about adulthood. Her unpredictable behavior makes it all the more thrilling. In this debut feature, director Ena SENDIJAREVIĆ reminds us of the early years of Jim JARMUSCH.

A Girl’s Agony for Not Going to a Fan Meeting - Proxy Exam
Asian Shorts Competition is a platform for nurturing Asian female directors. Among many interesting films, The Summer of 12 shows the essence of East Asia’s queer coming-of-age film. The film delicately depicts the confusion of gender identity and relationships through a swimming team.
Dots intends to examine the possibility of women’s memory and history through the director’s grandmother. The director questions about women’s history which is excluded from the official record, and also introspects the role of the camera.
Proxy Exam reveals the difficulties that North Korean defectors experience through Hyun-joo, a second-generation defector. While her friends have no problem in going to fan meetings, it isn’t that easy for her. Things we take for granted may be difficult to North Korean defectors.

A Glimpse on the Lives of Korea’s Feminists in their 30s and 40s: Us, Day by Day and The Fearless and Vulnerable
In the Korean Competition section, two films stand out and look like a series. Us, Day by Day is a story of young feminists who have been active in the 2000s. If you feel tired and lonely in living as a feminist, the film will surely comfort you.
The Fearless and Vulnerable is a documentary about the Femidangdang which was at the forefront of young feminist groups. The film records the group’s activities such as the abolition of abortion laws and the introduction of Mifegyne, and the thoughts and emotions of its members. Screened as world premieres, both films inquire after the well-being of feminists in their 30s and 40s respectively. They also record the activities of 20-something feminists who emerged after the gathering of Gangnam Station Exit 10. Though the time doesn’t allow films to propagate or instigate people, the two films show that it is still possible in the realm of feminist movements.

#Female Pleasure for Newcomers to Feminism and The Ground Beneath My Feet for Feminists and Arthouse Film Lovers
The Ground Beneath My Feet If you are a newcomer to feminism, you should watch the documentary #Female Pleasure. Of course, there are other options. The Chair’s Game shows how hard it is to keep your self-confidence in the job market. You may call it a German version of Microhabitat. For cinephiles who like to introspect feminism and enjoy arthouse films, The Ground Beneath My Feet is a perfect choice.
The section called Polemics: Sexual Politics of “Rooms” deals with the male-centered nightlife and businesses in closed rooms. Untouchable shows the reality of Weinstein brothers who triggered the Me Too movement in Hollywood. The Heat: A Kitchen (R)evolution reveals the male-centric kitchen culture. Pointer depicts a woman who punishes the sex abuse perpetrators. These films will empower you to break through the unjust world by using your cinematic imagination.

The Women Film Pionners: Agnès Varda & Barbara Hammer
SIWFF presents the memorial screening for Agnès Varda and Barbara Hammer who unfortunately passed away early this year. All the Varda fans should watch her six short films. On the other hand, Hammer’s six short films are enough to show her world of cinema. In particular, her posthumous film Evidentiary Bodies is a masterpiece which delivers intense and phenomenal moments to the audience.

Stories of Polish Women who Share Similar Histories with Koreans
Due to the geopolitical situation surrounded by strong powers, Poland and Korea share similar tragedies in history. Director Wanda JAKUBOWSKA is a survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp and a master filmmaker in Polish cinema. Based on the director’s own experience, The Last Stage portrays the lives of female prisoners of various race, class, and nationality. Solidarity According to Women directed by Marta DZIDO searches for female activists who are forgotten and excluded in the solidarity movement, which resulted in the democratization of Poland in the 1980s. The film makes us recall the 1980s of Korea and then female activists. If you are interested in the modern history of Poland, you should not miss Papusza, a biography of the first female gypsy poet in Poland. You will be captivated by her tenacious but unfortunate life in the beautiful black and white scenery.