Father Tae-Suk Lee’s death in 2010 at age 48 brought two nations to tears.
The documentary released that same year about Lee’s altruistic life, Don’t Cry for Me, Sudan, pulls no punches in dealing with the emotional impact of Lee succumbing, finally, to cancer. The film, directed by Koo Soo-Hwan, depicts the medically trained priest’s tireless work in Sudan and the great show of mourning that followed his death.
Father Tae-Suk Lee’s death in 2010 at age 48 brought two nations to tears.
The documentary released that same year about Lee’s altruistic life, Don’t Cry for Me, Sudan, pulls no punches in dealing with the emotional impact of Lee succumbing, finally, to cancer. The film, directed by Koo Soo-Hwan, depicts the medically trained priest’s tireless work in Sudan and the great show of mourning that followed his death.
It is an overpowering journey, yes, but it’s also an inspiring story of one man’s efforts to help people whose lives had been torn apart by war and poverty.
Don’t Cry for Me, Sudan will show at Portland State’s 5th Avenue Cinema as part of the Korean Film Festival, which began Friday, April 20, and runs through Friday, May 4. The film festival is being hosted by the Korean Student Association with the help of the Institute for Asian Studies.
“Don’t Cry for Me, Sudan is a documentary about a Korean priest that helps with the sick in Sudan by running a hospital,” said Bona Kim, president of the Korean Student Association. “I thought it was touching. I think showing this film to KSA would be really meaningful because we can learn about a different culture altogether.”
Lee was a man of talent and intellect. The ninth of 10 children raised by an impoverished seamstress in Seoul, Lee taught himself to play multiple instruments and dedicated himself to his studies from an early age. Eventually, his mother managed to put him through medical school, but he left that behind to enter the seminary as a priest.
He took his skills to where he felt they were most needed. Lee ended up in Tonj, a deeply impoverished region of war-torn Sudan. There, he set up a hospital and toiled day and night, relieving the sick and wounded. He also drove throughout the region weekly to treat nearby villages, including a leprosy-stricken hamlet where the ill were driven into complete isolation by their condition.
But Lee’s work wasn’t limited to medical care. When confronted with the question of whether to build a church or a school, the priest determined that the school was more important and set to work getting education to the local children.
He brought music to them, formed a brass band and taught them to play. Lee also took them throughout the country to perform for others. The school band was even invited to government functions and allowed to perform in military-occupied villages.
Don’t Cry for Me, Sudan presents an intimate look not only at Lee, but also at the current state of Sudan. The imagery is poignant and frank, and the emotional content is at times difficult to take in. Still, there is a flower of hope in this compelling examination of one man’s work and the impact he made on those whose lives he touched.
The Korean Film Festival is the first of its kind by the student association and is funded with the help of a grant from the Korea Foundation and Korea International Trade Association. The festival features a wide variety of Korean films, including the action fantasy Jeon Woon Chi: the Taoist Wizard (2009) and a general documentary about Korea. Previously screened were Cyrano Agency (2010), a romantic comedy, and the drama Poetry (2010).
The festival follows KSA’s annual Korea Night, which took place Feb. 25. Korea Night featured performances both popular and traditional, as well as dances and Taekwondo demonstrations, according to Kim.
“It was a great success, with over 600 people coming,” she said.
Kim has high hopes for her student group’s continued success with their first film festival.
“This event’s purpose is to share and enjoy Korean culture with everyone, and the film festival is just another way to share our culture,” she said. “We hope that the film festival will be enjoyable for everyone but also raises awareness of the efforts to expand Korean studies at PSU and raises money to fund more classes.”
