Former Namyeong-dong Anti-Communist Investigation Office Tennis Court Transforms into a Cinema for Citizens

The former Namyeong-dong Anti-Communist Investigation Office tennis court, once a symbol of state violence, is being transformed into a cultural and arts space for citizens. The Korea Democracy Foundation announced that it will host the '2nd Democracy and Human Rights Film Festival' at the Democracy Memorial Hall from September 11 to 13. The fact that the place where investigators once played tennis is being reborn as a place to reflect on the values of democracy and human rights is evaluated as a symbolic attempt to overturn the historical meaning of the space.

A total of 37 films, including the opening film 'Namtaeryeong', will be screened at this film festival. In particular, 637 works were submitted to the contest introduced for the first time this year, and 27 finalists that passed the preliminary screening will meet the audience. The screened works focused on expanding the scope of democracy by dealing with various human rights agendas encountered in daily life, such as the Sewol Ferry tragedy, labor issues, and disability and care.

During the event period, various programs such as Cine-talks featuring cultural critic Son Hee-jung and film YouTuber 'Geoui-eopda', as well as Guest Visits (GV) with directors, will follow. To reduce noise damage to nearby residents, outdoor screenings will be conducted in a silent style using Bluetooth headsets, and side events such as an exhibition stamp tour will also be operated.