Aswang for White Goose Award (Grand Prize)
and Men Who Won’t Pick Up Guns 2: Breaking a Taboo for Best Korean Documentary Award
○ <Aswang> by Alyx Ayn ARUMPAC for White Goose Award (Grand Prize)
○ <Men Who Won’t Pick Up Guns 2: Breaking a Taboo> by KIM Hwantae for Best Korean Documentary Award
○ Total of 102 million KRW cash prize and trophies to 21 winners in 7 sections
○ 11 projects to be supported by 2020 DMZ Industry, awarded total 200 million KRW
The 12th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (Chairman of the Organizing Committee Lee Jae-myeong and Festival Director Jung Sang-jin), which kicked off on September 17, held an award ceremony on September 24, wrapping up the eight-day event.
The grand prize, ‘White Goose Award’ went to ‘Aswang’ by Alyx Ayn Arumpac from the Philippines and the Best Korean Documentary Award went to ‘Men Who Won’t Pick Up Guns 2: Breaking a Taboo’ by Kim Hwantae.
At the ceremony, 21 winners in seven categories were announced and a total of 102 million KRW cash prize money as well as trophies were presented. The ‘DMZ Industry,’ the Festival’s pitching forum and market place for documentary films, selected eleven projects and awarded a total of 200 million KRW.
This year, the closing event took place with limited attendance to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and at the venue, Megabox Baekseok, gathered only the directors of award- winning films and selective festival guests. The ceremony was broadcasted live through Naver TV channel and V LIVE.
▲ White Goose Award: <Aswang> by Alyx Ayn ARUMPAC
The White Goose Award winner, ‘Aswang’ by Alyx Ayn Arumpac, tracked down the people who were victimized by intensive violence under the pretext of public authority against the backdrop of Manila, Philippines for two years. It shows how Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines, punished drug offenders and petty criminals, which results in a biased system that increasingly executes and incarcerates the poor and the deprived, highlighting the cruelty involved in the process.
The Best Korean Documentary Award winner, ‘Men Who Won’t Pick Up Guns 2: Breaking a Taboo’ by Kim Hwantae, follows the story after ‘People without Gun’ which delves into the conscientious objection to military service in Korea. The film captures the impact the first movie had on our society for the long period of 15 years.
▲ The winners of 2020 DMZ Industry Awards to receive production subsidies and in-kind support
The DMZ Industry, which was held at SONO Calm Goyang from September 21 to 24, announced the 2020 DMZ Industry Awards winners. This year’s DMZ Industry welcomed industry professionals both physically and virtually, a limited number of project teams and selective panels were present on-site whereas those who cannot make it in person attended via online platform. Despite the physical distance and time differences, DMZ Industry facilitated more than 280 business meetings between project teams and industry guests around the globe. The pitch sessions served as a launchpad for this year’s official projects to make its strong presence to the industry key players in diverse field such as film festivals, markets, broadcasters, funders and sales agents, etc.
The 2020 DMZ Industry Awards highlighted 4 projects in its Best Project category. Patriotic Girl by Nam Arum and Kamay by Shahrokh Bikaran & Ilyas Yourish won DMZ Best Project - Production pitch with cash prize of 30 million won. DMZ Best Project - Rough Cut Presentation, I AM MORE by Lee Ilha benefited 25 million cash award. Frankie Sin’s Our Second Home was honored with DMZ Best Project - Young Talent, which came with a 20 million won.
The Award also upraised runner-ups in its Excellent Project category. The DMZ Excellent Project with cash prize of each 10 to 15 million was presented to the seven projects, in the Production Pitch section A Table for Two by Kim Boram, Sukhavati: MADE IN ANYANG by Na Baru & Sun Hobin, My Mother is a Noh Actor by Cheuk Cheung, Chronicle of a Year by Katarina Suvorova, in the K-Doc Curated section Homeground by Kwon Aram, in the Rough Cut Presentation section Burning Flower by Won Hoyeon and Last days at Sea by Venice Atienza. Also, a total of 9 projects will get to in-kind support from DMZ Industry’s sponsors and partners – Seoul Business Agency (SBA), The MBL Company, Feel&Plan, Docedge Kolkata India, AIDC and IDFA.
▲ Screened 122 Documentary Films of 33 Countries, Film Festival Became the Platform for Communication
The opening ceremony held at Megabox Paju Book City on September 17 was broadcasted live online for the first time in the history of the festival and more than 2,400 viewers celebrated the opening together. This year’s festival screened 122 documentary films of 33 countries and all the screenings were placed under strict supervision with quarantine measures and each screening was limited to the admission of 30 people. In the first half of the year, many films festivals chose to run the event online and had to let go of the chances to interact with the audience directly. The 12th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival cleaved to the unique and key feature of the festival – serve as a rendezvous point where filmmakers, industry guests, and the audience get together and share their ideas and thoughts. Also, ‘DMZ Docs “DARAK”’ available free of charge through the festival’s YouTube channel during the festival period was enjoyed by 2,500 viewers. Over 1,000 people registered for the ‘38 Second Documentary Competition,’ which ran for five days through the open poll via social media services, showing great interest in the festival.
“It was meaningful as I could personally meet many documentary creators and industry guests who have waited for the festival regardless of the difficult situation,” said Festival Director Jung Sangjin, “I would like to thank all the participants this year and I hope to welcome more colleagues and friends in person next year.”