Korean Documentary: Defectors + Q&A 18

This film is F-Rated

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From the archive

This film was last shown on 21 April 2024

Combining a humorous and affectionate family portrait with a questioning look at both national histories and the search for identity, Defectors confronts the impact of the Korean War on different generations.

Filmmaker Kim Hyun-kyung grew up surrounded by the legacy of the Korean War, a conflict that left an indelible mark on her family and country. Whilst her mother turns to hoarding items she finds on the streets of Seoul as an emotional response to the director’s sister’s death, her father retreats into books on the Korean War, crafting his own historical account as a means to confront the past.

As Kim Hyun-kyung delves into her parents' lives, she coincidentally meets a former diplomat who defected to South Korea. Abandoning his family in North Korea, he drifts between Korea, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Contemplating her own experience of leaving Korea to establish herself in the United States, the director's quest to comprehend the past is presented in a courageous and intimate documentary.

This screening will be followed by an in-person Q&A with director Kim Hyun-kyung.

Screening as part of our Korean Documentary season in partnership with University of Sheffield School of East Asian Studies.

This film has not been rated by the BBFC, therefore we cannot allow entry to those under 18.

F-Rated: Directed by Kim Hyun-kyung