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The section that helps us realize the issues of the sexual minorities in contemporary Asian society and predict the future of Korean society via Asian films

Asia PRIDE Section introduces diverse queer films produced in Asian countries, including Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, India, China, Singapore, and more. Among many queer films produced in Asia, SIPFF selects the ones that reflect contemporary society with keen thematic consciousness, and introduces the lives of the sexual minorities in Asian countries, sharing similar cultures with Korea. The distinct and colorful stories of the sexual minorities from diverse Asian countries and cultures offer special experiences to our audience.  

There are two feature films introduced in this year’s Asia PRIDE Section. <Old Narcissus> created by Tsuyoshi Shoji unfolds the story of an old gay author, who is filled with pride of having been young and handsome gay in the past and has lived intoxicated by his own beauty, falls in love for the first time as he meets a young, lonely sex worker. Expanding the existing short film, the film shows great directing skills and the solidified view of the world of Director Shoji. <I Love You, Beksman> directed by Perci M. Intalan, is a unique film where the distinct individuality of the director and the intrinsic color of Filipino films work in harmony. The film delivers a shocking story of the main character, a makeup artist and fashion designer, who leads a happy life, surprisingly realizes that he is actually heterosexual as he falls in love, through intense and vivid images. 

There are diverse noteworthy Asian queer films in 2023’s Asian PRIDE Section. Specifically, <Bold Eagle> directed by a Filipino director, Whammy Alcazaren, presents the life story of the main character who anonymously uploads nude pictures and performs lewd acts in the dark side of the Internet. Trapped in his house with hallucinogens and a cat, the main character is embraced by the strange men he met on the Internet and masturbates to find true happiness. It is a unique film squeezing the creative directing skills showing a person finding for a refuge for his sexuality into a short film. 

As such, 2023’s Asia PRIDE Section will provide special opportunities for our audience to look into the lives of diverse Asian sexual minorities, to share their agony, and to enjoy great numbers of exclusive and competent works of Asian directors.