Diverse documentary films celebrated at the prestigious festival's closing ceremony

Poster for the 2023 DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs)

In a culmination of cinematic excellence, French director Sylvain George's compelling documentary "Obscure Night" secured the grand prize at the 2023 DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs), held from September 14 to 21. The festival, hosted at the CGV Goyang Baekseok theater in Gyeonggi Province, honored ten outstanding documentary films during its closing ceremony.

"Obscure Night" received acclaim for its profound portrayal of young migrants in Morocco, illustrating their challenging journeys as they attempt to travel from Africa to Europe via land routes.

The festival showcased a diverse selection of 148 documentaries from 54 countries, providing a global platform for filmmakers to share their unique perspectives and narratives.

In the Frontier category, Chinese director Wang Bing's "Man in Black" emerged triumphant, earning the grand prize and accolades for its political courage. The documentary delves into the life story of Wang Xilin, an 86-year-old Chinese composer who suffered political persecution during the Cultural Revolution in China from 1966 to 1976.

In the Korean Competition category, director Nam A-rum's feature film, "Patriotic Girl," and Yang Ji-hoon's "The Shooters" were recognized with the Features Grand Prize and Shorts Grand Prize, respectively.

Furthermore, the festival bestowed Special Awards upon notable documentaries, including director Kim Eung-su's "Jean-Luc Godard," director Choi Jong-ho’s "Oryu Market," and director Kim Sang-pai’s “In the Sunshine.” Each award came with a substantial cash prize of 10 million won, celebrating exceptional contributions to the art of documentary filmmaking.

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