Between Goodbyes
A Dutch adoptee and her Korean birth parents try to build familial bonds across languages and cultural differences from halfway around the world in this tear-jerking, decades-spanning documentary from debut filmmaker Jota Mun.
Director Jota Mun scheduled to attend.
Tickets
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Saturday, May 24, 2025
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Sunday, May 25, 2025
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- On Standby
- Matinee
Monday, May 26 - Sunday, June 1, 2025
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- On Standby
- Matinee
Between Goodbyes is a deeply moving documentary that explores the complex journey of Mieke, a queer adoptee from South Korea who was raised in the Netherlands, and her birth mother, Okgyun, who was forced to give her up due to South Korea’s strict one-child policy, societal pressures, and financial struggles. From 1950 to 2020, over 200,000 Korean children were adopted internationally.
The film begins six years after Mieke and her birth mother are reunited, following a decade-long search. Together with her wife, Mieke visits Seoul to celebrate their marriage, but their joy is intertwined with unresolved pain from the past. As the two of them attempt to rebuild their relationship, they navigate a profound cultural divide, exploring years of heartache, regret, and the ongoing search for healing.
Director Jota Mun, a Korean adoptee, brings a unique personal perspective to Between Goodbyes in this intimate exploration of the power of forgiveness, the complexity of identity, and the deep desire for connection between a mother and daughter separated by circumstances beyond their control. With humor, tears, and a sharing of their cultural traditions, Mieke and Okgyun discover what it means to reconcile their past, find common ground, and ultimately embrace love in its many forms.
- Director: Jota Mun
- Principal Cast: Okgyun Kang, Mieke Murkes
- Country: USA, South Korea
- Year: 2024
- Running Time: 96 min.
- Producer: Zoe Sua Cho, Barb Lee
- Cinematographers: Jimin Lee
- Editors: Michelle Chang
- Music: Gene Back
- Website: Official Film Website
- Awards: CinemAsia 2025 (Audience Award), DMZdocs 2024 (Best Emerging Filmmaker), Santa Fe International Film Festival 2024 (Special Jury Prize: Best Documentary Feature)
- Filmography: Debut Feature Film
- Language: English, Korean, Dutch
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- Format: DCP
- US Distributor: POV