Memory of Forgotten War

Directed by Deann Borshay Liem, Ramsay Liem

New Directions / USA / 2013 / Documentary, Short / 37 mins / English / Color / World Premiere

Memory of Forgotten War

New People
March 18, 2013 6:30 pm Rush Only

Description

Featuring a live performance by Korean drumming group Jamaesori, a conversation with filmmakers Deann Borshay Liem and Ramsay Liem, and interactive photo booth by HOBAK (Hella Organized Bay Area Koreans)!

The year 2013 marks the sixtieth anniversary of the unofficial end to the Korean War (no formal peace was ever made), a civil war-turned-global conflict that ravaged a nation, and whose consequences continue to reverberate up an down the peninsula today. From award-winning filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem (First Person Plural; In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee) and Ramsay Liem, professor emeritus at Boston College, comes a powerful new documentary about that watershed event. Memory of Forgotten War follows the stories of four Korean Americans who witnessed firsthand the war’s devastation and its aftermath. Drawing on the oral history collection of Still Present Pasts: Korean Americans and the Forgotten War, a multimedia exhibit directed by Professor Liem, this documentary is the first to tell about the experiences of Korean civilians who later immigrated to the United States. The memories recounted here challenge the historical amnesia that has long characterized America’s popular understanding of the so-deemed unknown war, and serves as a cogent reminder that for survivors and their families, it has remained anything but forgotten.

Following a screening of the film, cast and crew will engage in a candid conversation about the repercussions of the Korean War and the actions being taken toward a reunified Korea. Members of the drumming group Jamaesori will also perform live with acclaimed singer/rapper Skim, followed by an interactive photo booth from HOBAK.

Co-presented by: Korean American Professional Society (KAPS)

Check out Jamaesori performances here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaHBJxnvFkU

Jamaesori (Pronunciation: “JAH-mae-soh-rlee”) is a collective of women of Korean descent who use traditional Korean drumming to support social justice movements. They are a diverse and intergenerational group of Korean-Americans, Korean adoptees, mixed-race Koreans and Korean nationals, queer and straight, community activists and artists. Jamaesori uses Pilbong style Pungmul, a participatory folk art tradition, to coalesce around the expression of communal hopes and to overcome sorrow and hardship. Since being founded in 1991, Jamaesori has taken inspiration from the spirit of Pungmul and contributed to the vitality of our community by participating in numerous events, celebrations and protests. They play to recognize our culture, honor our history and to rally in shaping our future.

Learn about HOBAK (Hella Organized Bay Area Koreans) here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/166522990050746/