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The section introducing the films dealing with diverse values and rights beyond the sexual minorities, and helping people to realize the value of coexistence and cooperation 

Theme: “Forbidden Love”

SIPFF created Open PRIDE Section in 2018 in order to report the rights of the social minorities other than the sexual minorities, and to notify the possibilities of coexistence and cooperation. Open PRIDE Section screened the films dealing with the issue of “conscious objection against the military service and permission to substitute the military service” with Amnesty International in 2018, the issue of “protecting animal rights” with Kara, an activist group protecting animal rights in 2019, the issue of refugees with the support of “Migration to Asia Peace (MAP)” in 2020, the issue of “enucleation” with “No Nuke News,” reflecting the 35thanniversary of Chernobyl nuclear accident and the 10th anniversary of Fukushima nuclear accident in 2021, and the issue of “disability” with Seoul Disabled People’s Rights Film Festival. 

2023 Open PRIDE Section will proceed with Amnesty International just like in 2018. Amnesty International is the international human rights movement group, supporting the realization of international law of justice through the abolition of the death penalty, acceptance and improvement the lives of refugees, protection of prisoner of conscience, international traffic in arms regulations, etc. As SIPFF also agrees on their values, we decided work with Amnesty International for this year’s Open PRIDE Section again.  

The theme of this year’s Open PRIDE Section, working with Amnesty International, is “the forbidden love.” Among many forbidden loves, we specifically selected seven films dealing with “same sex marriage,” “race,” and “social classes.” With the theme of “same sex marriage,” <My Fair Wedding>, a documentary film presenting the story of Kim-Jho Gwang-soo and Kim Seung-hwan, who had the first Korean open wedding ceremony for same sex marriage in 2013, and <Dear Tenant (2020)> directed by Cheng Yuchieh will be screened. Also, after screening <Limited Partnership (2014)>, the documentary film displaying the reality of 40 years before the same sex marriage is legislated in the United States, showing vivid stories of the sexual minority movements, there will be a talk with the director, along with Amnesty International.  

A surprising first film of Director Filippo Meneghetti’s <Two of Us> unravels the ardent romance between two female characters through urgent thriller, based on suspense and mystery. Also, <Freeheld> starring Julianne Moore and Elliot Page, is created based on the real story of a lesbian policewoman dying from a lung cancer, wanting for her partner to live on her bereaved family’s pension, filing a lawsuit against New Jersey State court, which does not recognize the right. The film was selected as the opening film of 2015 SIPFF, and continued to be released in the theaters in 2016. 

Besides these films, other excellent films will be screened in 2023 Open PRIDE Section: <A United Kingdom>, unfolding the love story between the prince of Botswana and an ordinary British woman back in London in 1947. Even though their love had a lot of troubles due to diplomatic issues and the oppositions of many people, they finally overcome their obstacles in the end. <Wuthering Heights> directed by Andrea Arnold, sharing the same title of the novel written by Emily Bronte, is also worth watching. As such, this year’s Open PRIDE Section will screen diverse films, helping the audience ruminate the value of solidarity from wider perspectives.