Th e Gwangju Bibim Film Fest

The Gwangju Bibim Film Fest

Coming Soon

Written by Chloe Chan

Gwangju, designated a “Hub City of Asian Culture” by Roh Moo-hyun in 2002, is widely known for its cultural vibrancy.

From many foreigners’ perspectives, South Korea’s cultural image is always associated with monocultural conservatism and a culturally homogenous “woori” (우리 , “us”) culture. Even though South Korea’s cultural policy is sometimes criticized for its insufficiency in accommodating an ethnoculturally diverse community, the cultural organizations in Gwangju are currently putting a lot of effort into reaching a breakthrough, in an attempt to change the “culturally conservative” label.

For instance, the Global Community Support Project run by the Gwangju International Center (GIC) and the Gwangju Cultural Foundation (GCF) focus on cultural diversity projects that are designed to foster community culture through sponsoring local Gwangju and international citizens to take part in cooperating over cultural activities.

Last year, a group of youths from different national backgrounds launched an outdoor film festival on the Chonnam National University campus with sponsorship from the GIC. This year, the film fest has evolved into a higher-quality, annual event with funding support from the GCF.

The Gwangju Bibim Film Fest aims to offer an opportunity for the public to experience various cultures from a multinational perspective. The “Bibim” Film Fest is named after the Korean dish bibimbap (비빔밥, rice dish with vegetables etc.) in the hopes that various cultures can co-exist, just as the assorted ingredients that are perfectly mixed in bibimbap do.

Because this year is the 40th anniversary of the Gwangju Democratization Movement, the event organizers have selected “Human Rights” as the main theme. The catchphrase “Alright? All-Right!” is a play on words that has been adopted to question whether our rights (allright) are safeguarded (alright). In line with globalization, the two-day film festival will feature screenings that correspond to global human rights, with dual Korean and English subtitles. Independent filmmakers and citizens will be able to enjoy the films at an artistic outdoor space, and so far, the venue is set to be held in the open area of Art Street’s Miro Center.

Below is a brief introduction of the highlighted screenings.

Ten Years (Hong Kong, 2015): An anthology film comprised of five short vignettes that imagine what Hong Kong will look like in the year 2025 under dictatorial political control. In one of the vignettes, “Dialect,” the story depicts a taxi driver who is unable to find customers due to government legislation that displaces Cantonese as Hong Kong’s official language. To make a comparison relevant to South Korea, critics suggest that certain dialects are misused by the media to negatively portray rural, lower-class people, with one result being that the Jeju dialect has been named an endangered language by UNESCO. Regardless of whether a dialect is dying out due to the authorities’ prohibition or because of the growing value of urbanization, this story of change

▼ Hong Kong film Ten Years (2015).

▲ Pakistani fi lm Ramchand Pakistani (2008).

is defi nitely going to off er some profound insights around the dialect debate and its correlation to cultural identities.

Ramchand Pakistani (Pakistan, 2008): A seven-yearold Pakistani boy and his father who belong to the untouchable Hindu caste accidentally cross the border and end up spending years in an Indian jail while the mother on the other side does not know what has happened to them. Th is movie is based on a true story in a border district of Pakistan.

Single Ladies 3 (Mongolia, 2017): Th ree single ladies drive to the countryside in Mongolia in order to console one of their best friends who just experienced an overwhelming breakup. Th e healing trip begins in the beautiful countryside of Mongolia, but unfortunately, they soon lose their way to their destination. Later, the ladies arrive at Naiman Lake and meet some interesting people there. During the trip, they experience struggles in terms of love and dignity, but by upholding women power, they

▲ Mongolian fi lm Single Ladies 3 (2017).

are able to work things out. It is a heart-warming comedy about female empowerment, and a beautiful depiction of the lives of Mongolian indigenous tribes.

Participating in a Gwangju fi lm festival is a unique opportunity to learn about diff erent cultures and get to know other fi lm enthusiasts in Gwangju. Although the screening schedule is not yet confi rmed due to the unpredictable COVID-19 pandemic, further updates will be posted on the fi lm festival’s offi cial Facebook and Instagram pages. For the audience’s safety, the organizer will follow the city government’s health restrictions and social distancing policies by strictly controlling the number of participants and by distributing free face masks and sanitizers. Th e screening site is also required to reduce the scale and seating capacity in order to prevent close physical contact between individuals. Additional onsite healthcare services such as body temperature checks are expected to be provided as well.

Th is event is off ered to the public 100 percent free of charge. While the world is suff ering a global depression amid the pandemic, this is a great chance for us to contemplate humanity and to restore our positive vibes. No matter how defective and disappointing the current situation is, at least we are all in this together, deeply connected.

▲ Gwangju MBC introduced the community-based fi lm festival in 2019.

GWANGJU BIBIM FILM FEST

Dates: To be announced. (Check Facebook) Organizer: Gwangju Cultural Foundation Location: 7, Cheonbyeonjwa-ro, 338-beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju 광주 남구 천변좌로338번길 7 Admission: Free (Reservation required.) Phone: 062-670-7400 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gwangjubibimfi lmfest/ Instagram: @gwangjubibim

The Author

Originally from Hong Kong, Chloe Chan is currently pursuing a master’s degree in NGOs at Chonnam National University. She is also working on a collaborative cultural project with Gwangju Cultural Foundation. Instagram: @hoi0305

My mum and I always dreamt of seeing a temple in the snow and wondered if this would ever happen. We’ d seen the idyllic pictures of temples in the snowy mountains of Korea and Japan but had never seen a snowy temple for ourselves – until that one day in February of this year. The forecast predicted one day of snowfall in Gwangju on the 17th, and I couldn’t have been more excited! I got out all my winter gear and headed out to one of my favorite buildings in Gwangju – the Traditional Arts and Culture Center near Mt. Mudeung.

The scenery was just like in paintings and postcards. There was hardly anyone on the road, so the snow was pristine white, and only my footprints left a mark. It was still snowing heavily at the time. I took pictures of all angles of the traditional arts center, a beautiful hanok (한옥) structure enveloped in cotton-white snow with icicles dangling from its traditional-style eaves.

Further up the road were two temples: Munbinjeong-sa (문빈정사) and Jeungsim-sa (증심사). I couldn’t stop taking pictures, trying to capture this magical moment, and only wishing my mother were with me to see what I was seeing. A monk came out to greet me and invited me in for a cup of tea. The tea and kind conversation were heartwarming. The experience was unforgettable. I might not see a temple in the snow again, but the memory will last forever.

The Photographer

Originally from Belgium, Aline Verduyn has lived abroad for 20 years and is currently earning a master’s in Korean language education at Chonnam National University. In Korea, she has previously lived in Busan, Suwon, and Daegu, and has just crossed the one-year mark in Gwangju. She is very happy living here. Instagram: @gwangjumiin