We selected 20 short films you cannot miss at the 19th Seoul International Women’s Film Festival that is taking place from June 1st – 7th in Seoul (South Korea).

NEW CURRENT SECTION SHORTS
The following 5 shorts screen the same day at the same time & place
June 3rd Saturday – Megabox Sinchon 5 – 10:00 am

Body, My Buddy by Jung Seo-in – South Korea | 2016 – 16 min. – Documentary

In patriarchal societies, it is the male gaze that contributes to the formation of women’s body image. Many women are not satisfied with their body and obsessed with losing weight to the point that they suffer from eating disorders. In order to break the cycle of self-hatred, perhaps women need to rebuild their relationship with their body. Four vulnerable women who desperately want to love themselves decide to play soccer together. Although they are not physically capable of long-time training, they encourage each other to keep playing soccer. Under the scorching hot sun, these four women bear in mind that their body belongs to them and that their body is what makes them “them”.

Church Sisters by Park Ji-won, Sung Im-eun – South Korea | 2016 – 23 min. – Documentary

Ji-won and Im-eun who have been Christians for more than 20 years start to feel uncomfortable going to church as they identify themselves as feminists. They have even heard someone saying, “Can you be a Christian and a feminist? That is called self-deception.” Ji-won currently staying away from church and Im-eun reluctantly going to church begin to share their experiences and empathize with each other. Despite all the discrimination, violence, and misogyny they have witnessed or experienced, they still want to remain Christians. They decide to listen to the stories of others who have gone through similar things. So, here’s the question: Can a feminist go to church?

Didn’t know it was broken by Lee Young-rim – South Korea | 2016 – 8 min. – Fiction

It is not so difficult to find the news on sexual violence against women. In media, women are portrayed as poor victims too weak to defend themselves and warned not to go out alone at night. In reaction to this, a group of women decides to exercise and learn self-defense to escape from a dangerous situation. What does it mean to live as a Korean woman who may die if she does not succeed in saving herself or may be at risk for being blamed for the attack even if she survives? We would like to express our most sincere condolences to the victims of violence against women.

Fight like a Girl by Lee Yoon-young – South Korea | 2017 – 33 min. – Documentary

Yun-yeong decides to learn Jiu-jitsu, feeling sick of herself. Despite all her efforts, it is difficult to stop hating herself, continuing to think she is weak because she is a “woman.” To accept her femininity as it is, she visits Lee Hee-jin, the one and only Korean woman who is a Jiu-jitsu black belt holder. Hee-jin explains about what kind of strengths a woman practitioner can have and how Yun-yeong’s weakness can become her strength. Deeply touched by Hee-jin’s words, Yun-yeong pulls herself together to fight at a Jiu-jitsu tournament and realizes she must fight to overcome her strength and weakness and it is important to accept herself for who she is. Yun-yeong continues to learn how to fight and becomes more like a “women.”

The Ventilation by Chun Ye-min – South Korea | 2016 – 6 min. – Fiction

Whenever she tries to open the door on a hot day, Ye-rin who lives alone hears the man next door opening the door after her. She has no choice but to keep the air conditioner on and her electric bill comes as jolt. Whenever she tries to clean her room with the door wide open, she smells her neighbor’s cigarette smoke drifting into her room from the corridor. She is compelled to light a scented candle. She leaves a note on the wall asking him not to smoke in the corridor only to find the note meaninglessly fallen on the floor. As her patience is wearing thin, Ye-rin talks to the janitor about it but all she gets is a complaint from the man. She eventually stands up to him by opening the door wide.

QUEER RAINBOW SHORTS

My Gay Sister by Lia Hietala – Sweden, Norway | 2017 – 15 min. – Fiction

Majken has known that she is a lesbian since she was 7 years old and Gabbi just recently found out that she’s also into girls. But how about Gabbi’s 10-year old sister Cleo, who is she in love with? Is it a girl or is it a boy? Cleo joins Gabbi to her girlfriend Majken’s summerhouse. On a road trip up north a silent struggle begins between the older role models, who will gain Cleo’s trust? My Gay Sister is a story about a young girl’s first meeting with the expectations to define her sexuality and about the ability to create, gain and lose trust for one another.

Schedule
June 3rd Saturday – Megabox Sinchon Comfort 4 – 12:40 pm
June 7th Wednesday – Megabox Sinchon 5 – 16:30 pm

Being by Park Si-woo – South Korea | 2016 – 17 min. – Documentary

Being is about KIM Do-hyeon, who is a trans man. This documentary shows how he came to identify himself as a trans person. Many people think queers do not exist in ‘our society’, but KIM Do-hyeon comes out and speaks. “Queers are not nobody, we are somebody.”

Schedule
June 2nd Friday – Megabox Sinchon 7 – 15:00 pm
June 6th Tuesday – Megabox Sinchon Comfort 4 – 15:30 pm

No by Park Eun- hye – South Korea | 2016 – 27 min. – Fiction

In-ha tries to get back in touch with Su-min. She asks her old friends from college about Su-min’s whereabouts but it does not seem like an easy task.

Schedule
June 2nd Friday – Megabox Sinchon 7 – 15:00 pm
June 6th Tuesday – Megabox Sinchon Comfort 4 – 15:30 pm

ASIAN SHORTS FILMS & VIDEO COMPETITION
The following 4 shorts screen the same day at the same time & place
June 3rd Saturday – Megabox Sinchon 5 – 13:30 pm
June 5th Monday – Megabox Sinchon 5 – 17:00 pm

A House in a House, in a House by Jeon Chan-young
South Korea | 2017 – 25 min. – Documentary

What if the most inconvenient things were uncovered? I consider myself useless whenever I see the traces of my loathful father on me. The house of my home is not a space for rest, but one for sense of guilt. In there, I put myself into the swamp of self-hatred. The hatred for my father grows bigger when the object of my hatred is directed back to myself. Why should I struggle so hard to be understood by my father, the most useless existence to my understanding? Can I ever run away from myself who finds me through my father?

Is it too much to ask by Leena Manimekalai – India | 2016 – 30 min. – Documentary

Is It Too Much to Ask follows the journey of two friends Smiley and Glady – looking for a rental apartment in Chennai and the obstacles and social stigma they encounter in not just looking for a home but the fact that they are transgender women. We will meet the two women in their everyday dealings with an outmost prejudiced society where there are very few emotionally bright spots with which they can recharge their energy. Their identity render them helpless before the caste ridden, feudal and patriarchal landlords of the city who by denying them their apartments, deny their existence too. But Smiley and Glady turn their anger and frustrations into songs, dance, plays and their work of art continues to supply them the hope to live.

My Father’s Room by Jang Na-ri – South Korea | 2016 – 8 min. – Animation

She was abused by her father during childhood. Since he left, the pain and anger had begun to fade. One day, unexpectedly, she was struck by a revelation about her father’s life that cast her feelings about him into confusion.

Woman at home by Megan Wonowidjoyo – Malaysia | 2017 – 12 min. – Fiction

A day in a home maker’s life is the same as every day. She labors in love for her husband and children. But one day, everything is changed.

The following 2 shorts screen the same day at the same time & place
June 3rd Saturday – Megabox Sinchon 5 – 15:30 pm
June 6th Tuesday – Megabox Sinchon 5 – 20:00 pm

Change of the season by Jeong Ga-young – South Korea | 2017 – 27 min. – Fiction

Yeon-joo lives with her grandmother after her parents got divorced. “Taking Vacation Photos with Parents” is her assignment for fall vacation. She does not want to let anyone know about her parents’ divorce.

Mr. Subjective by Kim Da-young – South Korea | 2017 – 31 min. – Fiction

Seon Da-hyeong(multiple choices) pays a visit to Mr. Ju Gwan-sik(subjective question) claiming that he is one of Mr. Ju’s pupils. While Da-hyeong pops a quiz on Mr. Ju asking to remember who he is, a report of a lost wallet in the classroom comes in, and Da-hyeong, a self-claimed ex-pupil, participates in the search. The unidentified suspect strikes everyone on the back of their head. A bitterish sketch of this age in which only victory over competition is highlighted.

The following 2 shorts screen the same day at the same time & place
June 4th Sunday – Megabox Sinchon 5 – 13:00 pm
June 6th Tuesday – Megabox Sinchon 5 – 15:00 pm

Night working by Kim Jung-eun – South Korea | 2017 – 28 min. – Fiction

Lyn is a migrant worker from Cambodia, working night shifts at a plant, and Yeon-hee is Korean and works with Lynn. They are friends. They plan to go to the sea this weekend. But the plant manager asks only Lyn to work overtime during the weekend, because she is a migrant worker. She doesn’t respond to his request, and then finds out Yeon-hee is leaving for Australia soon.

Us at High Noon by Kim Hye-jin – South Korea | 2016 – 28 min. – Fiction

Helper dancer, Jin-ju dreams about traveling to France. One day, she gets a phone call that her sister hurts a child. Jin-ju tries to ignore the news, but after agonizing, Jin-ju go to meet her.

The following short film screens at:
June 4th Sunday – Megabox Sinchon 5 – 15:30 pm
June 6th Tuesday – Megabox Sinchon 5 – 18:00 pm

Mild Fever by Park Sun-joo – South Korea | 2017 – 36 min. – Fiction

Eun-ju has a secret that has not been told to her husband. A peaceful day, a sudden phone call shakes their lives.

I-TEENS SECTION SHORT
The following 3 shorts screen the same day at the same time & place
June 3rd Saturday – Megabox Sinchon Comfort 4 – 10:00 am
June 5th Monday – Megabox Sinchon Comfort 4 – 10:00 am

Adults Only by Ahn Soo-hyeon, Cho Han-nah, Jin Ji-won
South Korea | 2016 – 25 min. – Documentary

The flower of democracy, right to vote. Why only for adults?

The Great Student by Kim Soo-young – South Korea | 2016 – 6 min. – Fiction

Every Student is cow. When teacher said report-card, her friend is caught out.

Subconscious and Area by Shim Dal-gi – South Korea | 2016 – 11 min. – Fiction

On a holiday, out of her childhood memory, Mis. Anom, who leads a tedious life, visits the house in her childhood. But the house crumbled down, and the ground is under construction. Getting sullen, Anom sits on a chair to fall asleep. When she awakes, she finds herself in the past standing in front of her.

You may also find interested to know which are the:
5 Documentaries you cannot miss at the Seoul International Women’s Film Festival
10 Films you cannot miss at the Seoul International Women’s Film Festival

To know more about this festival please go to the Festival Profile or to the Official Website.