Biit Festival (빛 축제): The 2016 North Korea Human Rights Film & Freedom Festival in Washington, D.C.

No Chain (The Association of North Korean Political Victims & Their Families) is proud to present 'Biit Festival' - the first ever film festival in the Washington, D.C. area focused on the North Korea human rights issue, from Sept. 19, 2016 for the six-day run. The festival runs from Sept. 19 to Sept. 21 and then from Sept. 26 to Sept. 28.

A total of 12 films, including short films and documentaries, and the recently released 'Under the Sun' and the yet-to-be-released 'The Lovers and the Despot', will be screened for FREE during the festival, which will include North Korean defector guests (including North Korean defector film director, Gim Gyu Min) in panel sessions following select screenings.

"We are very honored and excited to partner with our co-hosts and co-sponsors from South Korea, the United States, Canada, and Europe, to bring these films to the general audience here in the Washington, D.C. area," said Jung Gwang Il, the Founder and Executive Director of No Chain.

"'Biit' - 빛 (pronounced 'beet)] means 'LIGHT' in Korean, and we hope that this name and concept - 빛 - light - will draw people to not only the film festival, but to be involved more with the issue of human rights in North Korea.

By shedding 'light' on this issue and raising awareness, through documentaries and films, we hope to generate interest and help bring about the end of the darkness in North Korea," said Jung.

For festival schedule updates and other details, please visit the Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/biitfestival

BIIT FESTIVAL SCREENING SCHEDULE (ALL screenings are FREE):

WEEK 1

Biit Festival Opening Night Premiere
Monday, Sept. 19
Heritage Foundation, 5pm
'Under the Sun'
RSVP

Tuesday, Sept. 20
US-Korea Institute at SAIS, 6pm
'The Lovers and the Despot'
RSVP

Wednesday, Sept. 21
Hudson Institute, 5:30pm
'Across Land, Across Sea'
'Guilt'
'The Defector'
RSVP

WEEK 2

Monday, Sept. 26

Afternoon screening - DC Public Library- Georgetown Neighborhood Branch (GEO Meeting Room), 2:30pm
'Winter Butterfly'
RSVP

Evening screening - Georgetown University-THiNK (Time, Location, RSVP -TBA)

'Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story'
'Pebbles at Your Door'

Tuesday, Sept. 27

Afternoon screening - DC Public Library- Georgetown Neighborhood Branch (GEO Meeting Room), 2:30pm
'48M'
RSVP

Evening screening - Georgetown University-THiNK (Time, Location, RSVP -TBA)
'Kimjongilia'

Wednesday, Sept. 28
Afternoon screening - DC Public Library- Georgetown Neighborhood Branch (GEO Meeting Room), 2:30pm

'Crossing'
RSVP

Evening screening - Georgetown University-THiNK (Time, Location, RSVP -TBA)

'Looking for North Koreans'

Screening times and locations are subject to change - please check the festival Facebook page which will be updated constantly.

No Chain is grateful to the following organizations for co-hosting and sponsoring the Biit Festival:

* Heritage Foundation
* US-Korea Institute at SAIS
* Hudson Institute
* Georgetown University THiNK (Truth and Human Rights in North Korea)
* International Christian Concern (ICC)
* Jubilee Campaign
* Pilgrim Community Church
* Chance at Life NK
* National Unification Advisory Council, Washington, D.C. Chapter (NUAC)
* Human Rights Foundation (HRF)

No Chain is grateful to the following organizations for supporting the Biit Festival (in alphabetical order):

The Council for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK Canada)
European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea (EAHRNK)
Fighters for Free North Korea (FFNK)*
Free North Korea Radio (FNKR)*
Freedom for North Korean Refugees of Minnesota (FNKRMN)
The Human Rights in North Korea, University of Washington (THINK UW)
Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF)
I Am Their Voice NK
Korean American Women's Society (KAWS)
Koreanische Menschenrechtsorganisation e.V (KOMO Berlin)
Kuen Saem School*
North Korea Missions (NK Missions)
North Star North Korea (NSNK)*
Tongil Mom*