SPECIAL PRIDE

A section that presents special screenings and retrospectives featuring queer films selected by theme, director, actor, country, or era.

Screening: 

A Small Autocratic Republic (1990) — JIN You-young(Director), restored by the Korean Film Archive 

Community Voices – “MATCHBOX” Special Showcase 

Through the Special PRIDE section, the Seoul International PRIDE Film Festival introduces queer films with diverse themes based on directors, actors, countries, and eras.

In collaboration with the Korean Film Archive, the festival has continuously run a project to restore classic Korean queer films from film to digital format, beginning with Sabangji (1998) by SONG Kyung-sik(Director) in 2018. This year, the festival presents a digital restoration of A Small Autocratic Republic (1990) by JIN You-young(Director), offering audiences a rare opportunity to revisit a long-forgotten chapter of Korean queer film history.

A Small Autocratic Republic unfolds in the early 1990s within the confined space of a boarding house under a repressive social atmosphere. The film follows Jin-young, a woman who disguises herself as a man to live among male tenants, concealing her identity while navigating complex emotional entanglements. As the relationships within the house begin to fracture, the tension between personal freedom and social norms escalates. Starring KIM Seo-ra(Actor), the film satirically explores the boundaries of power, sexuality, and gender through the protagonist’s cross-dressing narrative, symbolically reflecting the gender politics of its time.

In addition, the festival presents the Community Voices special showcase to highlight independent groups and individuals who have created queer films in Korea. This year, the featured production company MATCHBOX, which has consistently produced queer content in Korea since 2016, takes the spotlight. Having built a foundation for queer and BL storytelling through online platforms, MATCHBOX now brings its works to the big screen.

Sweetheart Service by BAE Yun-seo(Director) tells the story of people running an “anything-you-need” agency who unexpectedly confront genuine emotions within a fake romantic arrangement.
Through the format of a BL web drama, BAE delicately captures the moment when love begins to bloom. Also featured is Kiss Kiss Sxx, a collection of eight short films by various directors, collectively showcasing the breadth and depth of MATCHBOX’s queer and BL narratives.

The Seoul International PRIDE Film Festival continues to honor the diverse voices shaping queer cinema in Korea, delivering messages of solidarity and support for the growth of the queer film community. Each year, the evolving Special PRIDE section not only reexamines both classic and contemporary Korean queer films but also fosters meaningful social discourse that extends beyond the screen.