Austin Asian American Film Festival

GEOGRAPHIES OF KINSHIP

Directed by Deann Liem

South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, 2019, 1h 21min, English, Korean

Austin Asian American Film Festival

There are no current or future screenings planned for this film.

The reasons for transnational adoption of Korean children have been numerous and heartbreaking: the Korean War left many Korean children orphaned, some of whom were adopted by American soldiers.  Soldiers were also fathering children, including under sordid or violent circumstances. Many were abandoned. After the war, the South Korean government promoted national identity as one of racial purity, explicitly supporting the exclusion of mixed-race children, who were visible reminders of American dominance and occupation. Illegitimate offspring were not entered into the family registry, so they had no rights of citizenship. The journey that each adoptee travels is different, but all of their stories echo certain themes. In GEOGRAPHIES OF KINSHIP, award-winning documentarian Deann Borshay Liem enables the viewer to comprehend and feel the primal connection with a family and culture that each may have never encountered by introducing us to four adoptees. As they tell their individual stories, not only is longing apparent, but also hope and resolution–an apology from a South Korean President, ongoing work to prioritize family preservation over adoption, increasing support for single mothers, and legislation allowing for Korean dual citizenship. – Herb Ling, Programmer

Student Admission: $9 – To receive your student discount you must purchase tickets at the box office and show your student ID.

AFS Members receive $2 off.

Interested in seeing multiple films and supporting AAAFF? Festival badges and passes are available at:https://www.aaafilmfest.org/attend/

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