In the Absence

When the MV Sewol ferry sank off the coast of South Korea in 2014, over three hundred people lost their lives, most of them schoolchildren. Years later, the victims’ families and survivors are still demanding justice from national authorities.

Directed by Yi Seung-jun, In the Absence leans on a strong ensemble — Park Geun-hye, Yoo An-sil, Kim Sung-mook — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2018.