Diverse Lives Encountered Through Film, Self-Reflection Through the Humanities: ‘Discovery of Film’ to Be Held

[Financial News] The cultural diversity curated film festival ‘Discovery of Film’ will be held from the 20th to the 22nd at IndieSpace in Mapo District, Seoul.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Culture and Arts Education Service said on the 12th that the festival will screen nine films selected by a planning committee of five experts. The films meeting audiences include the opening film, ‘Third Grade, Second Semester,’ directed by Lee Ran-hee, as well as ‘The Land of Morning Calm,’ directed by PARK Ri-woong; ‘3670,’ directed by Joonho Park; and ‘1980 Sabuk,’ directed by Park Bong-nam.

‘Third Grade, Second Semester’ depicts the lives of young people taking their first steps into the workforce instead of sitting the College Scholastic Ability Test. Director Lee also works as a school arts instructor in the film category of the School Culture and Arts Education Support Project.
A forum on ‘Cultural Diversity and Film’ will be held at 3 p.m. on the 20th, the festival’s opening day. Yang Gi-hwan, representative of Jilalabi; Lee Eun, president of the Korean Film Producers Association; and Jeong Seong-u, director of the Mokpo National Route 1 Film Festival, will give presentations, examine trends in cultural diversity in the film industry, and discuss ways for the public sector to work together to support sustainable growth.
The Korean Culture and Arts Education Service is also supporting small local film festivals and screenings in conjunction with the curated festival. Through its ‘Small Film Festival Support Call for Proposals for Cultural Diversity,’ it selected eight events: the Seomjingang Village Film Festival (Gokseong, South Jeolla Province); the Banjjak Documentary Festival (Seoul); the Bucheon Labor Film Festival (Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province); the Chudoseom Film Festival (Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province); the Our Hideout Film Festival (Yongin, Gyeonggi Province); the MM Curated Screening (Mokpo, South Jeolla Province); Rotary Cinema (Seoul); and the Holly Forest Film Festival (South Jeolla Province).
The selected festivals and screenings will receive grants in varying amounts, totaling no more than 50 million won. Under the funding agreements, when these events are held in 2027, at least 30% of their total film lineups must consist of films on cultural diversity. 

Meanwhile, the 2026 Humanities and Culture Festival, organized by the Korean Culture and Arts Education Service, was held from the 6th to the 8th at Layer Studio 11 in Mapo District, Seoul. Around 8,000 members of the public attended over the three days.
The festival, now in its third edition, was themed ‘humanities intelligence.’ It refers to the ability to reflect on oneself, understand others, and choose the direction of one’s life in an era when artificial intelligence (AI) provides answers.
The festival was designed to help the public explore how humanities intelligence relates to everyday life through talks, performances, and interactive exhibitions. Lee Sedol, Yang Hee-eun, Hwang In-chan, Kim Cho-hee, and Nucksal took the stage, and the achievements of various humanities initiatives were also shared.
Even after the festival, 601 related programs will continue across the country throughout November.
[email protected] Shin Jin-a Reporter