[HanCinema's Film Review] "Cruel State"

Eighteen months ago the Sewol tragedy became an international headline. From Westerners there were the usual absurdist arguments that Neo-Confucianism was somehow responsible. During the Busan Film Festival last year "The Truth Shall Not Sink with Sewol" became a hot issue because of supposed restriction of artistic repression. But by and large the issue has been forgotten. "Cruel State" opens up with a visit to the school that lost entire classes to the tragedy. As the camera wanders the empty classrooms, the photos, and the tributes, one fact becomes ineffable- some people do not have the luxury of forgetting.

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"Cruel State" chronicles the Sewol protests since the ship sank up until the moment last year when the government finally passed a law calling for an independent inquiry. But even this hasn't been enough to finish the struggle. To this day protestors have still set up several kiosks in Gwanghwamun. There goal now remains unchanged. They want answers. They want a salvage of the craft. They want to be guaranteed that nothing like this will ever happen again. And these families are determined to fight as long as it takes until these demands are met.

The fact that this is all still going on eighteen months later is a rather discouraging indictment of the Korean political system, and the title "Cruel State" is well-earned. The issue is less that the politicians are malicious as it is they really don't seem to genuinely care, and practically have to be bullied into having so much as a conversation with the victims' families. It's surreal to think how an event with this much international press has managed to accrue such little domestic political action.

It's this ironic sense of grief that director Kim Jin-yeul has chiefly captured, giving "Cruel State" the air of an extended funeral dirge. In the mind of the famlies, their lost loved ones cannot rest in peace until this situation is finally resolved. At times they feel too wrapped up in their grief but then, what exactly are they supposed to do? If Sewol had sunk because it had been hit by a North Korean torpedo, does anyone seriously believe the government would be so apathetic?

The material is often grim to the point of just being difficult to watch. This isn't just due to the dark nature of the subject matter- the aesthetics are awful. Part of this is because there aren't very many high points. The Pope Francis visit probably represents the closest we get to emotional catharsis simply because it is so rare for these protestors to get solace from anyone- they only have each other to rely on.

The borderline sadistic voyeuristic sadness inherent in "Cruel State" has when it comes to grief makes it a tough movie to genuinely recommend. The issue is a bothersome one- and maybe it should be. Last month a fishing boat called the Dolphin capsized and sank north of Jeju. Similarities with the Sewol case are difficult to ignore, and bolster the protestors' arguments about the government's determinedness to forget the incident. If you're going to Gwanghwamun, I strongly suggest stopping by to sign one of their petitions.

Review by William Schwartz

"Cruel State" is directed by Kim Jin-yeul