The 5th DMZ Docs Film Festival

The 5th DMZ Korean International Documentary Film Festival – or DMZ Docs for short – is due to commence this Thursday the 17th of October and will run through to Wednesday the 23rd.

While the opening ceremony will take place at the DMZ as usual, the rest of the festival has been moved to Lotte Cinema in La Festa, next to Jeongbalsan Station, Ilsan.

DMZ Docs will feature 119 films from 38 countries during its run, all of which are divided within various programs bringing focus to social issues from around the world. There are three competition categories – International, Korean, and Youth – while the non-competition arena includes sections such as Global Vision, Docs For All! and Masters respectively.

Opening the 2013 installment of DMZ Docs will be Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits (만신) by director Park Chan-kyong (박찬경), who has made quite a reputation for himself helming films such as Night Fishing (파란만장) and Day Trip (청출어람) alongside his brother Park Chan-wook.

For the official DMZ Docs festival trailer, as well as information on opening film Manshin, please see below.

Opening Film

Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits (만신)

Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits (만신)

Director Park Chan-kyong explores the life of shaman Kim Geun-hwa in Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits (만신). Ever since the end of the Korean War, Korean culture has had a tumultuous relationship with the past and the present. In order to develop and establish the country as an economic powerhouse,  traditions have often been swept aside in the ferocious adoption of capitalist ideology – shamanism included. Despite such oppression, shaman Kim has established herself as one of the country’s leading figures in the arena, earning the title of National Shaman. The film stars actresses Kim Sae-ron, Ryoo Hyoun-Kyoung, and Moon So-ri in the role of shaman Kim as the autobiographical story presents her complex and traumatic life.

For the full listing of all the programs and films due to take place at DMZ Docs, please visit the official website here.