School for Defectors Showcase
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About
An intimate and quietly uplifting documentary, School for Defectors follows a group of 20 teenagers, children of North Korean defectors, as they adjust to life and education at Jangdaehyun School in Busan, South Korea. Shedding light on the lives of people from North Korea who made the difficult and courageous decision to escape — often driven by the hope of securing a better future for their children — the film provides access to a world rarely spoken of, while offering a glimpse into the next generation that will shape South Korea.
By focusing on what’s to come rather than what’s been, director Jeremy Workman shifts the narrative from trauma to resilience and lets his subjects be seen as individuals with their own hopes, dreams, friendships, and ambitions. Through the lens of youth and education, the film explores how these children navigate their identities and build a sense of belonging within the school, which becomes the emotional core of the film.
Content Considerations: Several intense emotional scenes that mention bullying, suicidal ideation, familial separation, racism
By focusing on what’s to come rather than what’s been, director Jeremy Workman shifts the narrative from trauma to resilience and lets his subjects be seen as individuals with their own hopes, dreams, friendships, and ambitions. Through the lens of youth and education, the film explores how these children navigate their identities and build a sense of belonging within the school, which becomes the emotional core of the film.
Content Considerations: Several intense emotional scenes that mention bullying, suicidal ideation, familial separation, racism
