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Event news: Sewol documentary screening at Birkbeck, 9 Jan

A special screening of the newly released documentary film ‘SEWOL’ by Director Ok-Hee Jeong, hosted by the Birkbeck International Documentary Society.

Sewol

Director and Producer: Ok-Hee Jeong, 2016, 79mins
Monday, 9 January 2017 at 18:30–20:30
Room B34 | Birkbeck | University of London | Malet Street | London WC1E 7HX
Admission free. No registration required.

Sewol

Synopsis

A South Korean ferry named Sewol sank on the 16th of April 2014. 304 people died. 250 victims of them were teenagers who were from Danwon High School of the city Ansan and were on a class trip. The cruel tragedy: the experts say they could have been saved.

Widely unnoticed by the world media the relatives of the victims fight for a thorough, transparent and independent investigation, which shall clarify the causes of the ferry tragedy, the failed rescue mission of the coast guard and the failed crisis management of Park Geun-hye’s government. It is such a desperate and tragic fight against the state, in which they even haven’t time and space to mourn.

The documentary film tells about the story of these relatives: About their grief, about their unbending and moving fight for the truth against the corrupted government of Park Geun-Hye, but also about their admirable effort for the improvement in the South Korean society.

The documentary film shows thereby the status quo of the state South Korea, which is a modern western style country, but with a defective democracy. It tells about the South Korean society which is still fighting against the heritage of the decade-long dictatorship and is still looking for the identity of the role of the state.

About the director

Ok-Hee Jeong is a Berlin-based German journalist. Her work focuses on South Korea.

Her articles have been published in ZEIT Online, taz, FAZ and bento, among others.

SEWOL is her debut film. She is currently working on her second documentary film “Werner, Ger and Angelus” (working title), about same-sex couples in old age.

The documentary film (79 min) is about the Sewol ferry disater on 16th April 2014 and the relatives of the victims.

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