Tuesday, January 29, 2013

JEJU FILM WINS BIG AT SUNDANCE



Timely and great news has hit the media on the 8th Anniversary of Jeju’s designation as ‘The Peace Island” and the same day as the new declaration of Jeju as the “Demilitarized Peace Island”.

Jeju filmmaker O Muel‘s based-on-a-true-story film, Jiseul, which takes place during the 4.3 Jeju Massacre has won the Grand Jury Prize in the “World Cinema Dramatic” section of the Sundance Film Festival.

Jeju was originally designated the “World Peace Island” on January 27, 2005 as a formal governmental apology for the terrible 4.3 massacre which took place from 1947-1954. Hopefully this Sundance award will help to bring 4.3 the attention of more people.

Jiseul will make its out-of-festival Korean premier on Jeju Island on March 1st. Previously Jiseul was chosen as Korea’s Best Indie Film of 2012 by the Association of Korean Independent Film and Video.

The film’s title “Jiseul” means potatoes in Jeju dialect. During the massacre it was the only food the villagers had while hiding together in the cave.
 
More details about the Sundance win can be found in this article.

An interview with the director about the film can be found here.

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