Since December 3, 2024, democracy in South Korea has been facing a crisis, with chaos and aftermath that remain uncertain. In response, the 26th JEONJU International Film Festival presents a special section titled Again, Towards Democracy featuring six documentaries that explore the political turmoil across the world—some past and some ongoing situations similar to the challenges we face today.
Ongoing civil wars, territorial disputes, and ethnic cleansing around the world have displaced millions worldwide, fueling a growth of refugee crisis, including in Norway. Norwegian Democrazy is a documentary that explores the rise of hate speech against Muslims in Norway, and it reveals how democracy in Norway is being tested by the misuse of free expression as a tool for spreading hate and extremism. As for the U.S., The Last Republican follows Adam Kinzinger, a Republican Congressman who voted to impeach Donald Trump after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The documentary follows Kinzinger through the months following the riot until the end of his term, raising the question of how difficult it is for politicians to ‘maintain their political integrity‘ and how bipartisan dialogue can be fostered in an era of intense polarization.
Meanwhile, Sudan, Remember Us tells the tumultuous history of Sudan in recent years through the stories of several young people. In 2019, many Sudanese citizens took to the streets to overthrow the 30-year dictatorship, with young women, in particular, leading the charge to break free from the constraints of patriarchy. Although their hopes for a better future were crushed by a military coup, the documentary shows that their efforts and sacrifices were not in vain. At This Moment, in the Nation's Sky captures a turbulent period in Brazilian politics, from the presidential election of 2022 to the subsequent events, such as the allegations of election fraud as well as the far-right supporters storming the Capitol and Supreme Court after the inauguration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Kogut documents the dramatic political events in Brazil, though it becomes clear that the country was already fractured in two.
The Philippines is no stranger to the democratic crises. In March, former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on charges of crimes against humanity, and his former vice president, Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, launched a grassroots movement for a better future and ran for presidency in the subsequent election. Although this dream of hers is momentarily halted by far-right populism, Robredo continues to keep the flame of hope alive in And So It Begins. Similarly, Ms. President is another documentary that evokes both hope and despair. Zuzana Čaputová was a human rights lawyer who became the president in 2019 after fighting against a corrupt government. She struggled to restore democracy in Slovakia but eventually withdrew her re-election bid and returned to private life. While people lament her departure, I am certainly not alone in being envious of the Slovak people, who had a president who kept true to her words, “I didn't come to govern but to serve.” (Chun Jinsu)
