'Ye Haeng Ja' (A Brand New Life) Republic of Korea / France
Produced by Lee Chang-dong, Laurent Lavole and Lee Joon-dong

Seoul, 1975. A brand new pair of shoes shines on the feet of nine-year-old Jinhee. Thrilled with the unexpected gift, she holds her father tightly from the rear seat of his bicycle, not wanting to let go of her cosy, sudden joy. This exceptional day calls for celebration and makes Jinhee feel like singing a song as she toasts her father, sipping soju for the first time in her life. Little does she know that those shiny shoes are destined to walk her into a new life, one she might not want but will have to learn to accept. Sure enough, the next day Jinhee will be taken to an orphanage and unceremoniously abandoned there in the hope somebody will adopt her, leaving her father free to form a new family.

2009 INTERNATIONAL JURY STATEMENTS

“A Brand New Life is an extraordinary tale of a young girl's journey for a new life. The elegant and subtle style of the film elevates the familiar story to a new level. Although the film primarily depicts a child's attempt to find herself a home and ultimately a life of her own, the director successfully managed to draw on a sense of loss and longing, a universal theme that touches all of us.” – Gina Kim




HIGH COMMENDATION in Children's Feature Film: Tahaan: A Boy with a Grenade
Produced by Shripal Morakhia & Mubina Rattonsey



A fable-like journey of an eight-year-old boy, Tahaan, and his beloved donkey, Birbal. Tahaan lives in the Kashmir valley with his grandfather, mother and older sister, who live in hope that the boy’s father, who has been missing for more than three years, will one day return home. After losing his best friend, Birbal, to a businessman as part of debt repayment, Tahaan sets off on a long quest to bring the donkey back home.