The 16th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival Opens on the 26th

Held for 7 Days Until October 2 at Paju Imjingak
Screening Over 140 Documentaries from 40+ Countries
‘DMZ Documentary Road’ Program Runs from 27 to 29

Poster of the 16th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival.

Gyeonggi Paju City announced on the 23rd that the opening ceremony of the 16th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival will be held at 6 p.m. on the 26th at the Paju Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri Grand Performance Hall.

The main events of the opening ceremony include the opening address and declaration, blue carpet event, opening performance, and screening of the opening film. About 1,200 seats are prepared for festival guests and general viewers, and to facilitate transportation for attendees, a "DMZ Documentary Film Festival Train" will operate on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line from Seoul Station to Imjingang Station.

The opening film, selected to match this year’s festival slogan "Action for Friendship and Solidarity," is the documentary "Cultivating Revolution." Co-directed by Indian directors Nishtha Jain and Akashi Basumatary, this film highlights the large-scale protests by Indian farmers against agricultural laws during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, reflecting on this historic moment.

The festival will screen over 140 documentaries from more than 40 countries. Notably, in addition to the main venue at Megabox Kintex in Goyang City, screenings and programs including director talks are scheduled on the 28th and 29th at "Heyri Cinema" located in the Heyri Art Village in Paju.

From the 27th to the 29th at Paju Imjingak, the "DMZ Docu Road" program will be operated. The DMZ Docu Road is divided into the "Peace Docu Road," which involves taking the gondola from Yeoncheon to Paju Imjingak and watching documentaries at Gallery Greaves, and the "Life Docu Road," which includes walking along the ecological trail by the Imjin River in Paju after visiting Gimpo (Aegibong Ecological Park) and enjoying a concert.

Kim Kyung-il, Mayor of Paju City, said, "I am very pleased to be able to join the start of the 16th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival at Paju Imjingak. I hope this meaningful time allows citizens to take a moment to rest, reflect, and look back on the past through documentaries that show the other side of our lives like a mirror."

Detailed schedules and information about the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival can be found on the official website.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.