Moon Dance
Short film for a Professional Personal Project from the last year of Uni.
‘Moon Dance’ begins with an individual’s voyage through the woods, when suddenly distant sounds of music and chatter pique their interest. They end up approaching an remote, old traditional house. Up close, it appears to be women performing some form of ceremonial dance. The women have not noticed this intruder’s presence yet. The stranger maneuvers around the backyard to get a closer look. However, one of the girls notices them immediately. Her fellow dancers turn their heads to join her confrontation as the red moon light illuminates the scene.
General inspiration was to capture the anger built up within Asian women from being fetishized through a orientalist lens. This circle dance, called the ‘Ganggangsullae’ is traditionally done by women, usually performed around holidays such as Chuseok, the Autumn harvest festival. From being a ritual to bless bountiful harvest, a war tactic during the Japanese invasion and overall cultural symbol for Korean women to be unified.
