11th Annual DC APA Film Festival

Resilience

Producer Jessica Windt scheduled for attendance
A panel discussion on Korean adoption, birth search, and reunion will take place following the film at 4:45pm in the Meyer Auditorium.
2010 DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival – Best Documentary Feature

Community Sponsor: Sejong Society of Washington, D.C.

Since the 1950s, an estimated 200,000 Korean children have been placed with families all around the world. Recently, a fraction of these children’s birthmothers have begun to speak out about their experiences of living without their children. Resilience follows the story of one mother’s loss and search for redemption from a child she separated from decades before.

As a new mother in 1970s Korea, Myung-ja Noh was obligated to her husband’s family and searching to make ends meet. One day when she was out, her in-laws took her only son, Sung-wook, away from her without her consent, with the intent that he would have a better life without her.

Resilience follows Sung-wook, known as Brent, in his search for his birthmother and, eventually, his long awaited reunion with Myung-ja as they willfully become family. Throughout, the film captures key moments of cultural differences mixed with surprisingly typical parent-child behaviors.
—Anna Petrillo

Preceded by:

A single father must decide the fate for himself and his motherless child.

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