Female Gukgeuk, a form of musical theatre in which women played male roles, enjoyed a golden age in 1950s South Korea. Travelling around the country, these performers were intensely popular, representing a liberated feminine energy that was otherwise suppressed in a male-dominated society. This 2011 documentary traces the history of this phenomenon and follows some of these legendary actors – by then in their seventies and eighties, and still acting – as they reminisce about their shared experiences, performances, and camaraderie. While the heyday of Female Gukgeuk has long passed, director Kim Hye-jung looks at the legacy of these ‘girl princes’, astutely scrutinizing cultural tensions relating to gender performance, manliness, and disguise.

The screening will be followed by a gathering with snacks provided.