Feminist documentary “The Last of the Sea Women,” marks the debut for Sue Kim and Malala Yousafzai‘s new production company, Extracurricular. The film stars haenyo, a group of women sea divers (now declared UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage) based off the shores of South Korea’s Jeju Island. The tripartite movie both celebrates and meditates upon the very real challenges of the haenyo. First, the feature introduces the resilience of the haenyo; second, it introduces haenyo-YouTubers Jin Sohee and Woo Jeongmin; and third, the film documents the haenyo’s resistance to discharge of Japanese radioactive wastewater in the Pacific Ocean. In this simple, but resounding call for a better life, “The Last of the Sea Women” shows us how the plight of women of both today and tomorrow are more intertwined with the environment than we might think.
“The Last of the Sea Women” witnessed its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival, where we caught Sue Kim and Malala Yousafzai. Here, we spoke about sea urchins on-set and alternative paths for education.
This interview has been edited and redacted for clarity.
The Last of the Sea Women screened at Toronto International Film Festival
“The Last of the Sea Women” marks a lot of firsts for you all. How do you all feel?
Malala Yousafzai: I feel excited. It’s my first time at TIFF and I can’t believe I’m here as a producer. Starting a project like “The Last of the Sea Women” is just the perfect beginning to this journey. It was my dream to work with incredible women directors and artists when i started this production company three years ago, and we have amazing partners like Apple TV+ and A24 who helped us bring the stories of the haenyo to the screen. The story is just so relevant, and it’s the right story I wanted to start this journey with.
Sue Kim: It’s my first documentary feature. My first film ever was a short that came out in 2020. I was never able to attend a film festival or a screening in-person, since we were all in lockdown, so this is my very first film festival in-person. It’s thrilling. It’s one of the biggest, most well-respected film festivals in the world, so I am pinching myself everyday.
So much of “The Last of the Sea Women” is about translation: translating the cultural specificity of the haenyo to international audiences on Apple TV+ And there must have been some translation for you two as well, starting from different backgrounds. How has that translation process been for you all?
Malala Yousafzai: You see this in the documentary as well – this intergenerational connection between the older haenyo and the younger ones, how they’re passing on their wisdom and enthusiasm about accepting their identity. At the same time, when I think about my own life as an activist and then look at the stories of the haenyo, it reminds me that women have the power and capacity to really test the limits. This is what haneyos do. They show us what we are capable of, our bodies, our minds. It keeps me going.
I think about a world where all girls can go to school and women can get equal opportunities. When I think about the stories of women in one part of the world, like these women in this one island of South Korea, I feel a sense of companionship. We are not alone. We are all fighting our battles in some way, but there’s so much to learn from one another. Whether we are from the US, Afghanistan, Pakistan, or South Korea, there’s so much that brings us all together.
Sue Kim: I’m old enough to remember when I was in grade school and kids in my classroom didn’t even know what Korea was, or that a country like Korea existed. Korean culture has risen so much in the past few years. To be in a position where I am fortunate enough to be able to tell Korean stories, work with incredible leaders and role models like Malala, and to be on a global platform like Apple TV+ – it’s not lost on me. It’s overwhelming and powerful, and I am so grateful for it.
“The Last of the Sea Women” also comes at a politically interesting time for Korea, which has been rife with anti-feminist movements in the last few years.
Malala Yousafzai: This story is relevant for women in so many parts of the world. We are still witnessing a time when women’s rights are taken away: girls are banned from education in Afghanistan, women face harassment and violence. When you think about all these challenges, it can give you a very gloomy picture of the world. At the same time, when you look at the resilience and the strength of women within them, it gives you the hope that we will not give up despite these challenges. Haenyo are an example of this. They have sustained a matriarchal community in South Korea that, despite all the challenges they have faced, they found their path. This is their identity. They found comfort in it, and this is how they choose to live.
Sue Kim: One thing that I loved so much about making the film is that, because there were so many women at the top of the leadership chain for this film, we were able to staff our team however we wanted. Our team at Apple, on the crew, at leadership – almost all women. It was almost like we were reflecting back the women we were portraying. There was just this incredible sense of sisterhood: everyone was so supportive, so nurturing, such a safe environment. That was my favorite part about making this film: behind-the-camera, we were able to experience the sisterhood we were showing in-front-of-the-camera as well.
Sounds amazing. Any favorite moments on-set?
Malala Yousafzai: I love the music, especially when [the haenyo] sing folk songs together. It just reflects their centuries-long journey and identity of being a haenyo.
Sue Kim: My favorite moments happened everyday. We would stress [to the haenyo], “Please forget that we’re here. This is an observational film. We don’t want you to play to the camera at all.” But they were so kind and caring, and they always tried to feed us. They would break the fourth wall and come over to us with sea urchins that they just caught, spooning it out and feed our DPs and me behind our monitor. It’s a love language in Korea, to make sure that the people around you are fed.
To an earlier point that you brought up, Malala, it’s also interesting to think about the haenyo in relation to education. Oftentimes, the haenyo choose the path they do because they don’t have access to education to begin with.
Malala Yousafzai: When we think about education, we need to see it in a way that prepares a child for their future. That is what I really want to see: young women have choices in front of them and make decisions for themselves. It should be a choice for a girl to decide to become a haenyo. I was so excited to see that there was a school where they could train.
I think we need to think in broader terms about what education means. Sciences and math and the like are important, but we need to make sure that our education system actually reflects the reality and future ahead of us. I hope that kids everywhere in the world can get an opportunity to complete their education and choose a future for themselves.
Sue Kim: I think it’s really interesting that these schools were created because before, this craft used to be passed down from grandmother to mother to daughter. It had this inherent lineage to it, but we’re losing that with the loss of haenyo culture. There are now three separate schools on Jeju Island to help foster and preserve the culture. It’s vital to pass down knowledge from elders to younger women.
“The Last of the Sea Women” will stream exclusively on Apple TV+ starting October 11, 2024
