10 Korean movies that value gender equality selected in “Bechdel Choice 10” this year have been revealed

Bechdel Day 2022, which was hosted by the Directors Guild of Korea (DGK) and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced “Bechdel Choice 10” films that value gender equality. 

Since 2020, Bechdel Day has selected 10 Korean movies that show significant results considering gender equality every year based on its “Bechdel Test 7” criteria. Bechdel Day has updated the “Bechdel Test 7” standard that measures the status of gender equality in films by adding 4 items reflecting the current situation to the 3 existing ones, and they are conducting “Bechdel Choice 10” screenings based on this.

Below is the content of “Bechdel Test 7”:

• First, more than one female character their names appear in the movie. 
• Second, “female characters have conversations with each other.
• Third, the conversations will not only be about the male characters.
• Fourth, there have to be at least one or more female members among the directors, producers, screenwriters, and camera directors.
• Fifth, the proportions of roles are equal whether it is a movie led by a solo female character or a movie led by both male and female leads.
• Sixth, female characters should not be reproduced in stereotypes.
• Seventh, the movie does not contain hatred and discrimination against minorities.

10 movies that were named in this year’s “Bechdel Choice 10” are “Gull” (director Kim Mi-jo), “Gyeong-ah’s Daughter” (Kim Jeong-eun), “Ten Months” (director Nam Goong-seon), “Anchor” (director Jung Ji-yeon), “Nothing Serious” (director Jung Ga-young), “Hommage” (director Shin Su-won), “Missing Yoon” (Kim Jin-hwa), “Perhaps Love” (director Jo Eun-ji), “Snowball” (Lee Woo-jeong), and “Decision to Leave” (director Park Chan-wook).

Bechdel Day 2022 explained, “We selected 10 works based on the ‘Bechdel Test 7’.  Even if all the criteria for ‘Bechdel Test 7’ were not met, movies that showed significant results considering gender equality were also included as selected works”, adding “The list include works that showed gender equality descriptions in terms of subject matter and content, as well as works that highlighted the performance of female characters or creators.”

The screening for Korean films released in theaters from July last year to June 22nd this year was conducted. The judges included Bechdel Day 2022 programmer Lee Hwa-jung, executive chairman of the Seoul Independent Film Festival Kim Dong-hyun, film critic Joo Sung-chul, CEO of the film company Red Peter Lee Dong-ha, director Im Sun-ae of the movie “An Old Lady”, which was selected in Bechdel Day 2021’s “Bechdel Choice 10”. 

The judges said, “It is regrettable that the absolute figures of commercial film releases were small due to the pandemic, but we found works that show the willingness to break gender stereotypes in films, gender equality character realization and theme consciousness, as well as efforts to promote gender balance in hiring creators of production teams”

They continued, “We hope that the selection and screening of ‘Bechdel Choice 10’ will serve as an opportunity to help the works be re-evaluated and talked about again”, conveying their hope.

The selected works of “‘Bechdel Choice 10” will be screened at Chungmu Arts Center during Bechdel Day 2022, and some screenings will be accompanied by GV videos from the director to help the viewers understand the work better. Bechdel Day 2022 then plans to select and announce the “Bechdelian”, which is the film that has contributed to promoting gender equality in the Korean film industry, among the filmmakers who participated in the selection of “Bechdel Choice 10” and showed remarkable performances

Bechdel Day 2022 will be held at Chungmu Arts Center for 4 days from August 31st to September 3rd.

Source: daum