The remarkable journeys of those who refuse to surrender to life, even in the face of violence, prejudice, and deep personal wounds, unfold on screen with striking force. Amid the turbulent currents of history and the harsh realities of the world, these stories follow individuals who persist in carving out their own paths, leaving a lasting impression.

Among this year's selections, several documentaries stand out for their dismantling of long-held misconceptions and social prejudice in pursuit of genuine understanding. One offers a moving record of a teacher who, during the May 1980 uprising, was forced to send his students away to save their lives, and the reunion with them more than forty years later. Another traces the winding life of a middle-aged woman who helped sustain Korean society through difficult times, seen through her daughter’s loving eyes. Together, these works bear witness to the enduring power of solidarity and love amid the complexities of history. Alongside them, a fifteen-year-old girl transforms the trauma of horrific violence into a force for liberation against the hypocrisy of a conservative community and the looming shadow of war.

The program also crosses the boundaries of life and death, tradition and aspiration. An animated tale follows a spirit from the afterlife devoted to saving a girl cursed with the power to upend the balance of the universe, while an indigenous girl in the Andes dreams of fame even as she carries on a sacred tradition of midwifery. Diverse in form yet united by a profound belief in life, these films hold one another through loss and hardship, offering a lasting sense of comfort and hope.