Opening Gala 2024
ESCAPE 탈주
+ Opening Gala Ceremony, Introduction and Q&A with Director Lee Jong-Pil
Dir. Lee Jong-Pil | Korea | 2024 | 94 mins | 18
[UK Premiere]
Wednesday October 23
ODEON Luxe Leicester SquareTickets available now on Eventbrite
“I’ve decided my own future”
Near the Korean Demilitarized Zone, in a North Korean frontline military unit, Sgt. Kyu-nam (LEE Je-hoon) is nearing the end of his ten-year service. Discontent with the lack of future prospects in the North, he plans to escape beyond the barbed wire to a place where he can freely pursue his desires.
However, when a junior soldier, Dong-hyuk (HONG Xa-bin), discovers Kyu-nam's plan and attempts to escape first, Kyu-nam is caught in a sudden twist of fate, leading to his arrest as a defector.
“Don’t be distracted and accept it. This is your fate.”
State Security officer Hyun-sang (KOO Kyo-hwan) arrives at the base to investigate the defector. Recognizing Kyu-nam from his childhood, Hyun-sang manipulates the situation to turn Kyu-nam into a hero who captured the defector, thereby boosting his own credentials and securing a position as a special assistant to the division commander.
But when Kyu-nam makes a determined effort to escape, Hyun-sang is left with no choice but to begin an unyielding pursuit.