Silenced is a Korean foreign language film following the story of a teacher who moves to a small town to work at a local school for hearing impaired and deaf children.
The film, which is based on the book The Crucible by Gong Ji-Young, details a horrific story based on actual events.
Silenced focuses on the new teacher as he moves to the small town as he uncovers the alarming truth behind the school. A truth which involves the faculty of the school sexually abusing students for years.
The film touches on many themes revolving around the treatment of youths with disabilities in Korea, the running of special needs institutions and how we as a society at large view people - most specifically children - with disabilities.
Synopsis
As noted above Silenced recounts a disturbing story. It follows a young teacher who moves into a reclusive and strange town. While he gets settled into his new surroundings, he realizes that the school he works at is just as strange.
The principal of the school gives him very weird vibes, the school feels like a mental hospital and the students seem to be distant, wary, scared and cold. He feels the school is an unnatural place and struggles to figure out what it all means.
Eventually the teacher forms a relationship with a local social worker and the two work together to learn all they can about the school, their staff and carers.
The remainder of the film follows the two as they attempt to compile evidence, protect the children of the school and bring their abusers to justice.
Important Themes
Silenced is a film which by no means is easy to watch. But nonetheless it is still a hauntingly beautiful film.
Much of the film is riddled with slow moving shadows, creepy atmospheres, uncomfortable scenes and eerie undertones. Because of this, the film succeeds in creating a setting fitting for a dark and sensitive narrative.
Moreover, Silenced touches on many real-world topics revolving around the treatment of special needs children in Korea as well as the operation of special needs schools in the country.
In 1994, Korea passed the Special Education Promotion Act which was put into law to protect the educational rights of special needs students. Said regulation requires all schools to provide full support to disabled students and ensure that they are given every opportunity to participate freely in class.
However, recent information shows that there are approximately 88,000 disabled students in Korea and only 18,000 special education teachers. Which does not adequately meet the standards as explained in the Special Education Promotion Act.
Many parents and disabled rights activists in the country believe that classrooms are also ill-equipped and that the ministry of government is not doing enough to ensure their students are looked after. This includes both disabled children in traditional schools and in schools designed for the disabled.
To read more on the issue you can read this article.
Silenced is also an important film because it directly changed Korean law and government policy.
After it's initial release in September of 2011, the film was viewed by over 4 million Koreans.
With the knowledge of the implicated teachers being let off with minimal punishment, the public (who were collectively infuriated) forced the government to re-open the investigation, which was done by the National Assembly of South Korea.
Resulting in a bill revision in October of 2011 which abolished the statute of limitations for sex crimes against minors and the disabled. Leading to the eventual closure of the Gwangju City school in November of 2011.
Conclusion
Ultimately, Silenced is a great film for many reasons. It not only tells a true and horrific story, but it is a film that made a tangible, real difference.
It forced millions of people to look at a real case that many in popular society overlooked. And was able to motivate millions of Koreans across ethnic, geographical, economic and cultural lines to pressure the government to do something about the inhumane crimes which happened in the past.
It is an example of how film can be a powerful force to make positive real-world change.
For me, Silenced speaks volumes (as ironic as that may sound).
It is a film you must watch. I cannot say any more than that. It's not only a prime example of how film can speak to important real-world issues, but to how film can be used as a tool to create change.
