It's one thing to plant a seed. It's another to nurture it and watch it grow. The Itaewon Film Festival is heading into its second year with clear signs of growth and maturity, demonstrating its widening impact on the neighborhood and the city around it. Running in Haebangchon and Itaewon, two central Seoul neighborhoods that have long housed artists, expats and people operating outside the mainstream of Korean culture, the lively outsider character of the festival's home runs through every programming decision. This year's edition will be held from Sept. 10 to 13 as part of Haebang Week, a weeklong program of events affiliated with Block Party Music & Arts Festival. The festival's slogan, "Home of Liberation," is a nod to the neighborhood's name — "Haebangchon" translates directly to "Liberation Village." Co-founder Simon Chong has been open about how much the neighborhood shapes the festival's direction. "Itaewon and HBC (Haebangchon) have been home for people with different backgrounds for a long time," Chong said. "When I think about the word 'home', I think of a place where you can