Dooman River

Harris Theater: May 8 @ 3:00PM
Melwood Screening Room: May 11 @ 7:00PM

Passes not accepted on Opening/Closing Night. Please arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of start time to ensure availability of seating. Film schedule and Q & A's are subject to change.

2010/China/Director: Lu Zhang/90 min.
Cast: Jian Cui, Lan Yin, Jin-Long Lin, Xuansheng Jin (Language: Korean)
Festivals and Awards: Crystal Bear - Special Mention (Best Film) 
On the icy, fragile border between China and North Korea poverty and intimidation are ways of life for refugees fleeing Kim Jong-Il’s regime. Dooman River depicts the budding friendship of two young boys living on separate sides of the treacherous boundary and the growing tensions within one of the most dangerous immigration regions in the east.
12-year-old Chang-ho lives just on the Chinese side of the Dooman with his grandfather and mute sister. While playing, Chang-ho meets Jeong-jin, a Korean boy who traverses the border frequently for find food and medicine for his dying sister. Chang-ho and his family take to Jeong-jin, sympathetic of his condition and unsafe endeavors. The boys bond quickly over their mutual love of soccer as if their dire surroundings are lessened by their strong connection. Peace does not prevail for long as a police crackdown on North Korean immigrants and a slew of allegations quickly pin the townspeople and refugees against each other, threatening the boys’ friendship and shedding light on the ominous political front.
Endearing performances by the two boys portray a shocking adolescent self-awareness and recognition amidst a changing social landscape. With striking aesthetics, Dooman River grasps the tranquility of the snowy mountain region in South China, while tension brews below between the townspeople. Director Zhang Lu give a peek into his birthplace and one of the lesser explored corners of the world to test the power of loyalty and friendship in a most hostile environment.
“Dooman River is co-presented by the Global Film Initiative and is part of the Global Lens 2011 film series. For more information, visit www.globalfilm.org.”