On December 15, 2022, Director Gam Jeong-won’s first feature film, *Heesu*, was officially released. Leveraging his experience working at the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Independent Film Association, Director Gam established the cooperative 'Continuity' to personally distribute *Heesu* to independent theaters nationwide . Prior to its official release, *Heesu* premiered at the 22nd Jeonju International Film Festival in 2021 and subsequently met audiences at domestic film festivals such as the PyeongChang International Peace Film Festival, the Seoul International Film Festival, and the Daegu Women's Film Festival. The response was enthusiastic. Director Gam Jeong-won has long worked in the film industry in Daegu as a director, a staff member, and the Secretary General of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Independent Film Association. *Heesu* also captures the story of Daegu. The film tells the story of 'Heesu,' a female worker employed at the Bisan-dong Dyeing Industrial Complex in Daegu.

I enjoyed the movie *Heesu*. I understand that this is your first feature film, and I heard that you established the cooperative Continuity to distribute it to independent theaters nationwide.

With the aim of engaging in a wider variety of film-related activities, I established the cooperative Continuity with colleagues based in Daegu. We also attempted to distribute the film *Hee-soo* directly through Continuity. Initially, I was concerned about promotion, but fortunately, actor Yoo Ji-tae, with whom I have had a long-standing connection, stepped in to help. In Mapo-gu, Seoul, there is Indiespace , the first theater in Korea dedicated exclusively to independent films; since 2012, actor Yoo Ji-tae has consistently hosted an independent film screening and talk event there called "Watching Independent Films with Yoo Ji-tae." It was wonderful to be able to share more intimate stories about the film with the lead actors of *Hee-soo*, Gong Min-jung and Kang Gil-woo, after the screening. It is also the only theater dedicated to independent films in Daegu. Oho Theater also pledged to screen films based in Daegu and Gyeongbuk for one year, until the end of 2023. The fact that so many people showed interest in and helped with independent film distribution was a great source of strength for me as someone involved in making and distributing movies. It was not an easy process, but we distributed *Heesu* to independent theaters nationwide through the Continuity Cooperative. We met many viewers, and it was a joyful experience.

It is the story of a young female worker at the Daegu Dyeing Industrial Complex, but it is actually not a lighthearted subject. How did the movie *Heesu* come to be?

While riding the Line 3 subway past Gongdan Station, I saw smoke billowing from a factory. It was the Bisan-dong Dyeing Industrial Complex in Daegu. I had known about it for a while, but I had never actually visited it. Suddenly, I became curious about the lives of the workers employed there. Heesu is actually the name of my friend. She once told me, “It would be unfair to die just working like this. But I think I would still just work even after I die. That’s all I know how to do.” The film *Heesu* began as the two scenes—the smoke billowing from the Bisan-dong Dyeing Industrial Complex and the story Heesu told me—overlapped. I handled association business during the day and wrote the screenplay in the evenings. I remember trying my best to write at least one scene a day. *Heesu* was selected for the regional film production support program, which was launched for the first time in 2019, and we barely managed to enter production. Because the budget was so small, we had to save time. So, before filming began in earnest, we had extensive discussions with the actors and staff. I remember what we all said together back then. "We said, 'Once filming starts, let's approach it with the mindset that we are going on a trip with Heesu.'"

Director, you are also a young female worker from Daegu. What does *Heesu* mean to you?

While working on the screenplay for *Heesu*, I thought a lot about labor. I was reminded of my friend Heesu, who said she would do nothing but work even after death. As time passed, I naturally began to reflect on myself—the me who had been on set since my early twenties, performing "film labor" without even realizing how exhausting it was. I remember having thoughts like, "Does my labor have value? Why is there a hierarchy of labor? My labor is precious, too..." In the film, Heesu is a character who works hard even on the daily exercises at the factory. Of course, she works hard too. Heesu must have desperately wanted to live. To fall in love, to travel. A diligent Heesu would surely have lived her life well. Now that the film is complete and I am meeting the audience, I have realized something anew. The film *Heesu* is the story of a young female worker toiling in harsh conditions. In fact, it is my story, and ultimately, it is the story of all of us.

Nevertheless, there are people in Daegu who dream of becoming filmmakers. I heard that there are film education and support programs in Daegu as well.

There was a time when I had the desire to make films, but felt at a loss as to how to actually begin. That was when the first educational institution I encountered was the Daegu Visual Media Center. Through the 'Short Film Production Workshop' offered there, I learned the basics of filmmaking and met many colleagues. It was a truly precious time for me. Now, you can take part in even more diverse educational programs than back then. The Daegu Visual Media Center is currently running its 'Daegu Film School' program for the fourth time, continuously producing new film talent. The Daegu Gyeongbuk Independent Film Association and the Daegu Short Film Festival also operate various programs for citizens, such as film production workshops and film theory lectures, so if you are interested, please feel free to inquire at any time. The door to your dreams is always open.

I understand that you have worked at the Daegu Gyeongbuk Independent Film Association for a long time. I also heard that for the past few years, you served as the Secretary General at the Daegu Short Film Festival Secretariat, which hosts the 'Daegu Short Film Festival DIFF'.

Now in its 23rd year, the Daegu Short Film Festival is an event designed to build a network among local independent filmmakers and provide screening opportunities for regional independent films. It is a venue visited by many filmmakers and audiences not only from Daegu but from across the country. The main screening venue is the O-O Theater, a theater dedicated to independent films, and we are gradually expanding our screening locations to include CGV and Mankyeongwan to reach a wider audience of citizens. Compared to its population and city size, Daegu has not provided much support for culture-related projects. Therefore, we created a sponsorship program called "Neighborhood Store Sponsor" in collaboration with local small business owners. This initiative introduces local shops through the festival and offers small benefits to the audience. We also run a side event called "diff n poster, " where we match festival screenings with designers to produce and exhibit creative works in the form of movie posters. Starting with a small café called Samsam Dabang in front of the O-O Theater, we have expanded the exhibitions to other cafés and cultural spaces surrounding the theater. I believe the most important aspect of my work is providing cinematic moments to everyone participating in the film festival, directly or indirectly. I hope this becomes a meaningful event for everyone, not just filmmakers.

Continuity is a cooperative engaged in film-related activities through production, screening, and distribution. I am curious about what activities Continuity plans to pursue in the future and the direction it intends to take.

The term 'conti,' used during filming, is actually an abbreviation of 'continuity.' Originally, continuity means 'continuity' or 'sustainability.' It is also the name of a cooperative engaged in film-related activities, chosen to reflect our desire to sustain meaningful endeavors for a long time. Continuity holds two major goals: to increase accessibility to the independent film genre and to expand screening opportunities for diversity films. Diversity films refer to a category of movies that represent a minority identity due to factors such as diverse nationalities, genres, and low budgets. Independent films, art films, and documentaries are included in this category. We are also deeply interested in establishing a foundation for the creative activities of young local artists. It is our important right for creators to have the opportunity to showcase their work and for consumers to freely enjoy culture, free from the intervention of large capital. In this same vein, we are constantly contemplating how to ensure that films produced in the region receive equal opportunities.

Returning to the movie *Heesu*, I heard that you are preparing a book about the film with the photobook publisher 'April's Eye'.

I am working with April Eye to re-edit movie stills into a photobook. Movies are a blend of many elements, after all. I wanted to explore how to utilize cinematic materials in ways other than screening. April Eye is a photobook publisher based in Daegu, and photography, text, and design are the three keywords they pursue. Since movies involve the complex interplay of images, text, and design, I suggested that creating a photobook using film as a medium would be interesting. Just like the movie, the photobook *Still Cut, Heesu* is structured around three distinct timelines: the everyday stories of Heesu and her lover Hak-seon, Heesu traveling alone while working at a seafood restaurant, and Hak-seon sadly tracing Heesu's footsteps . Additionally, the book includes dialogue that was ultimately not used in the film, as well as texts worth pondering alongside the movie, making it a book just as rich in content as the film itself. In a sense, it is a photobook that also serves as another interpretation of the movie *Heesu*.

Maker's Pick

Director Gam Jeong-won's 3 Movies That Made Me

Suseongmot (2018), Director Yoo Ji-young

Suseong Lake is a very familiar place to the people of Daegu. In the film, Suseong Lake serves as a symbolic location that reveals the reality faced by the youth of Daegu (the protagonist, Hee-jeong). Thanks to the realistic performance of actress Lee Se-young, who plays Hee-jeong, one can become even more immersed in the story. I hold a special attachment to this film because it is Director Yoo Ji-young's first feature film and because Director Gam Jeong-won personally participated as an assistant director. (ⓒ Indiestory)

Garivegas (2005), Director Kim Sun-min

"Garivegas" is a portmanteau of "Garibong-dong" and "Las Vegas." Director Kim Sun-min, who actually worked at the Guro Industrial Complex, personally experienced the changes in Garibong-dong—a place like his hometown—and fully infused the film with his affection for the workers. Seon-hwa from the Guro Industrial Complex in Seoul in 2005 and Hee-su from the Daegu Dyeing Industrial Complex in 2021 seem to bear a subtle resemblance. (ⓒ Kim Sun-min)

No Shadow (2011), Director Choi Chang-hwan

For Director Gam Jeong-won, this film is akin to "the starting moment of the local independent film scene." *No Shadows* is an early work by Director Choi Chang-hwan, who is actively engaged in independent filmmaking based in Daegu. Set against the backdrop of the old downtown area across from Daegu Station—specifically Dongseong-ro and the Northern Bus Terminal—it captures the story of workers struggling to survive. It is a deeply shocking and chilling film that brings to mind the works of Ken Loach or the Dardenne brothers , Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne . (© Choi Chang-hwan)