This poignant documentary follows Mieke, a queer Korean adoptee who was raised in the Netherlands; and her birth mother, Okgyun, who lives in South Korea. Okgyun was forced to give up her daughter in 1982, in a context of concerns around overpopulation, economic hardship, and social pressure on women to have sons. Entering their lives six years after mother and daughter were reunited, the film addresses the historical legacy of mass overseas adoption. The documentary follows Mieke as she returns to Seoul with her wife, to celebrate their marriage with Okgyun and her family; there, the two women seek to reconcile with their painful pasts. Tenderly directed by Jota Mun – a Korean adoptee themself – this emotionally authentic film questions our understanding of what a family is.
Festival 2026
Between Goodbyes (UK Premiere)
Multiple origins, 2024
Directed by
Jota Mun
Jota Mun
Running time
96 mins
96 mins
Tickets
28 May 2026, 6:10 PM
Past Event
BFI Southbank
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Director Bio
Jota Mun (they/them) is the director and producer of Between Goodbyes, which had its world premiere at the DMZ International Film Festival, where they won the Emerging Filmmaker Award. The film was selected to screen at DOC NYC, Chicago International Film Festival, Santa Fe International Film Festival where it won a Special Jury Award for Feature Documentary, and CinemAsia Film Festival where it won the audience award. As an editor, Jota’s credits include the Emmy-nominated Netflix series Who Killed Malcolm X?.