The Truth Shall Not Sink with Sewol

The Truth Shall Not Sink with Sewol (Korean: 다이빙벨; RR: Daibingbel; lit. Diving Bell) is a South Korean documentary film about the sinking of the MV Sewol, directed by Lee Sang-ho and Ahn Hae-ryong.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The documentary draws back the curtain on one of the most controversial parts of modern Korean history, the aftermath of the sinking of the MV Sewol, which resulted in the loss of 304 people. Through a variety of news reports and eyewitness testimonies, directors Lee Sang-ho and Ahn Hae-ryong show how the large South Korean media companies colluded with the government over the information about the sinking of the ferry. He highlights the suffering of the victims’ families, their quest to discover the cause of the accident, and the truth behind the government’s behavior during and after it. The documentary focuses on the use of a diving bell, a piece of equipment that allows divers to stay underwater for long periods of time.

The Truth Shall Not Sink with Sewol
Film poster
Directed byLee Sang-ho
Ahn Hae-ryong
Production
companies
Asiapress
Cineport
Distributed byCinemadal
Release date
  • October 7, 2014 (2014-10-07) (Busan)
Running time
77 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean

Synopsis

The documentary revolves around the story of Lee Jong-in, who is the head of a private diving company that offered the use of his equipment to assist in the rescue and recovery of the victims. He reportedly showed up during the disaster, with the equipment called a "diving bell" which can provide divers a place underwater to eat and rest, breathe, and can extend the time divers are underwater, and help place a diver in a specific location.[4] While he was at first stonewalled by officials at the site, Lee Jong-in worked at his own expense before canceling his attempts. He was called back to continue work by government authorities after victims' families insisted that he return, but he reportedly found similar roadblocks from government and military officials.[8]

Controversy

After its completion, The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol was scheduled to screen at the 2014 Busan International Film Festival. However, at the time, the government sought to restrict portrayals of the Sewol Ferry disaster within the media. Therefore, the chairman of the festival, Suh Byung-soo (also mayor of Busan at the time) requested that the organizers not screen the film. The organizers resisted the pressure and screened the documentary.[9] This resulted in the film festival budget being slashed by over 50% over the following two years.[10] The budget cut created a backlash due to news of the state trying to influence the film festival. Many filmmakers boycotted the event, which almost shut down the film festival altogether.

Awards and recognition

The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol won the Grand Prize at the Fukuoka Asian Film Festival in 2015.[11]

Reception

Joshua Oppenheimer, a film director, was struck by the "incredibly incompetent rescue mission" depicted in the documentary and after viewing the film began to question the role of media in South Korea and the rest of the world.[12]

References
  1. Jin-ah, Son (7 October 2014). "BIFF 화제작 '다이빙벨', 10월 개봉 확정". MBN. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  2. Conran, Pierce (15 October 2014). "Busan 2014 Review: THE TRUTH SHALL NOT SINK WITH SEWOL Invokes Tears And Outrage". Twitch Film. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  3. Chang, Justin (6 October 2014). "Busan Film Review: 'The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol'". Variety. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  4. Borowiec, Steven (8 October 2014). "Documentary about Sewol ferry sinking roils South Korea film festival". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  5. Hyo-won, Lee (3 October 2014). "Busan: Director Bong Joon Ho Condemns Chairman's Wish to Cancel Documentary Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  6. Sung-mi, Ahn (7 October 2014). "Sewol sinking documentary screened in Busan despite controversy". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  7. "Festival organizers defend airing S.Korea ferry disaster film". CTV News. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  8. Lowe, Justin (May 18, 2015). "'The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol': LAAPFF Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
  9. "Families of Ferry Disaster Victims Urge Busan to Cancel Documentary Screening". The Hollywood Reporter.
  10. "A Short Guide to the Korean Blacklist Scandal".
  11. "The Truth Shall Not Sink with Sewol". www.tsori.net. 3 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
  12. Lee, Hyo-won (October 6, 2014). "Busan: South Korean Ferry Disaster Documentary Causes a Stir". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2020-03-18.
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