Jiseul (2013)

Jiseul (Hangul: 지슬) is a 2012 South Korean war drama film written and directed by Jeju Island native O Muel. The film is shot in black and white with the entire cast composed of local actors speaking their natural dialect. "Jiseul" means "potato" in Jeju dialect. O said he picked it as the title of his film because "potatoes are considered a staple food in many countries, often symbolizing survival and hope." Set during the Jeju Uprising on the island in 1948, O said the film does not focus on the large-scale struggle, but on a forgotten true story about a group of villagers who hid in a cave for 60 days to escape from a military attack. They hid underground for months, cold and numb, far too close for comfort—just like the potatoes to which the title refers.

The film had a small budget of ₩210 million (US$190 000), part of which was raised through crowdfunding. It premiered at the 2012 Busan International Film Festival where it received 3 awards—the CGV Movie Collage Award, the Director's Guild of Korea Award for Best Director, and the NETPAC Jury Award.

Jiseul later won the prestigious World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. It became the first Korean film ever to win the top prize in this category. Festival organizers said that the jury’s decision was unanimous, and their deliberation lasted less than one minute. It also won the Cyclo d'Or, the top prize at the 2013 Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema, and Best Film at the inaugural Wildflower Film Awards in 2014. The broader response from critics and international audiences was more mixed, with some viewers feeling frustration at not being given more background information in the film.

Synopsis

In November, 1948, the U.S. military stationed in South Korea issues an order that all people living five kilometers outside the coast line of Jeju island are labelled as communist rebels and can be executed on sight.