Reach for the SkyWooyoung Choi, Steven Dhoedt
Every year in early November, South Korea is fully focused on the Suneung, a final exam for students. The score not only determines which university the student can attend. In a country obsessed with performance, it is also a status symbol.
In the harsh, competitive society of South Korea, every student has one chance a year to secure his or her future. During the national exam, the Suneung test, you determine your chance to be admitted to the most prestigious universities in the country. Only those students with the best results are allowed to continue, everyone else has to settle for a less coveted university and will not climb further up the social ladder. Given that everything depends on that single test, the pressure to succeed is immense. In the margins of the test, a whole industry has popped up: refresher courses, training schedules and even magic and divination. "Reach for the Sky" follows three students who have been preparing non-stop for months for the all-important test. Their dedication and sacrifice is unparalleled. Their school activities consist solely of hours of additional training at hagwon, a kind of private education. These young people are no longer allowed to be kids: there is simply no room for (non-competitive) sports, relaxation or - God help us - just doing nothing. They are being prepared to pursue perfection, just like their parents
The screening on the 5th of May will be followed by the Docville+ session 'Heeft ons onderwijssysteem nood aan elitescholen?'. Entrance to this debate is free of charge.
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Info
Directed by Wooyoung Choi, Steven Dhoedt
België, South Korea
90 min.
Koreaans
Subtitles: English
Programme
Belgian selection
credits
Director
Wooyoung Choi, Steven Dhoedt
Producer
Gert Van Berckelaer, Sinae Ha, Steven Dhoedt
Production company
Visualantics
Cinematography
Steven Dhoedt
Editing
Gert Van Berckelaer
Music
Regina Lok Yan To
Contact info
Bekijk Contact info(en screener)
(beschikbaar vanaf 20.03)