We're in Mogadishu, 1991, and there's trouble brewing. The rebels want to bring down Siad Barre's dictatorship once and for all and the flames of civil war are about to blaze. What will happen to the diplomatic delegations trapped in the Somali capital? This is the true story behind Escape From Mogadishu, the tense actioner that marks the eagerly-awaited return of director Ryoo Seung-wan (much loved in Udine for his Unjust, The Berlin File, Veteran and The Battleship Island).
Examining a little-known episode of the African conflict, Ryoo Seung-wan tells us a special story: one that involves the two Korean ambassadors and consuls present in Mogadishu under the opposing flags of the North and the South, and Italian ambassador Mario Sica (a key character, played by Enrico Ianniello).
In addition to the highly anticipated Escape From Mogadishu, the fifth day of FEFF 24 is also host to a non-stop stream of films showing from morning to night (in its headquarters at the Teatro Nuovo and in the Visionario, home to the themed sections of the festival). There isn't room to describe them all, so we'll just mention the world premiere of Judy Chu's Sunshine of My Life, an intense made-in-Hong-Kong social drama that reflects on dreams, choices and family ties, and, of course, Martika Ramirez Escobar's incredible Leonor Will Never Die, a warm tribute to the golden days of Filipino action cinema! After being developed at Ties That Bind in 2018 and being presented at Far East in Progress in 2021, the film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last January and is being screened in Udine as part of the festival's official program.