Industry Selects is a curated selection of 10 films that go beyond the Official Selection, and are all available for worldwide acquisition. This screening is limited to Accredited Buyer passholders only.
Drawing from the lived experiences of a North Korean refugee, Hana Korea paints an intimate portrait of a young woman, Hyesun, who has reluctantly left home to earn money for her ailing mother’s essential life-sustaining medication. Finding herself in a South Korean cultural integration centre with other women who have endured the range of arduous journeys in search of a better life for them or their families, Hyesun weighs the opportunities presented to educate and reinvent herself. Supported by metered, captivating performances by the women and stories featured, this narrative debut from Frederik Solberg profoundly presents their cultural shock of a hyper-modernized city, while distinguishing the physical, mental and emotional toll of this journey — when tethered to a life left behind.
LIANE CUNJE
Screenings
TIFF Lightbox 5