2020 PIPFF

yongyang Cinema provides a window into the past, present, and future of unknown life in North Korea. Among the five films selected, Korea: The Never-Ending War and Running in North Korea are two documentaries which depict the history of a Divided Nation seen through the eyes international film directors. Korea: The Never-Ending War, directed by John Maggio, overlooks the Korean War --a long lasting war that still remains in the state of ceasefire. It's a collaborated work of four countries (U.S, U.K, France and Korea) which took four years to be finished. This chronicle covers a wide range of period from the end of World War II to the recent U.S.- North Korea Summit Talk. It provides a fresh prerspective of the Korean War viewed from the eyes of a third party, rare archives recently discovered, as well as narration of John Cho's, a Korean-American Hollywood star. Running in North Korea, another documentary shot by Olympic Channel, is set on Mangyeongdae Marathon, the only sporting event in North Korea. Two foreign athletes meet North Korean participants and show various aspects of Pyongyang.

Two collaborated foreign animation films The Enchanted Mountain (2008) and Prince Hodong and Princess Nakrang (1990) are based on traditional fairy tales, showing the unique color palettes of North Korea. KIM IL SUNG’s Children stands out as the only film shot in South Korea. It's based on the recollections of several Europeans who developed special bond and friendship with North Korean children sent out to East Europe during the Korean War.

A nation very near, but so far, which shares the same language and history with us on the other side of DMZ, always arouse special sentiment in our heart. Peace in Korean peninsula--the only Divided Nation in the world--is nothing more than a continuation of small talks unfinished, remembrance of the ordinary faces hidden under their severe political system.