Sky, Wind, Stars and the Island

Official selection

Family/ChildTrue StoryHistory/War

Documentary filmmaker Kim Myung-yoon, a former member of the Dokdo Police Security Detachment, relocates with his wife and son, Noah, to Kumi, a remote village in Japan’s Oki Islands. A UNESCO Global Geopark, the Oki Islands boast majestic natural beauty, but also serve as a politically charged symbol, with Japan asserting territorial claims over Dokdo, calling it, “Takeshima.” As Kim builds relationships with local residents and engages with their perspectives, he explores the histories, ecologies, and memories surrounding Dokdo and the Oki Islands. His camera captures the blue ocean and striking landscapes while documenting the complex intersections of borders, languages, generations, and viewpoints. Though the film reveals unbridgeable divides, the friendship between Noah and the Japanese boy Itsuki offers a hope for understanding. This film is a journey about the possibility of coexistence and reconciliation on the border and a special record of the political and cultural significance of an island.

Programme note by JO Ji-hoon