New York Korean Society - Screenings every third Thursday of the month at 6.30pm.
This
not really a festival, but nevertheless, it deserves a lot of
attention. Those in the New York area are very fortunate. A Korean film
is being screened every month, and better still - they are classic
ones... And to put the icing on the cake; there will be a brief lecture
after each film.
Further Details.
Classic Movie Night at The Korea Society
Vintage Korean Cinema on the Third Thursday of Every Month
A
new program at The Korea Society, and the first season will address
representation of women in Korean films from the 1950s and 1960s. Each
film will be followed by a brief lecture on the film’s history and
context and an audience discussion period.
Time: June 21st (Thursday) at 6:30PM
Place: The Conference Room (The Korea Society)
Lecturer: Sue-Young Park-Primiano (doctorial candidate, New York University)
Miss
the directorial touch of Shin Sang-Ok? Can’t find a video store that
has A Road to Return? The Korea Society’s Classic Movie Night is your
answer. On every third week of Thursday at 6:30PM, The Korea Society
will put on wide screen projections of films like A Seashore Village, A
Flower in Hell and Sam-Ryong the Mute.
Movies will be screened at
The Korea Society in midtown Manhattan (950 Third Avenue, 8th Floor.)
Tickets are available for $5 (members) & $10 (non-members)
-refreshments will be included - at www.koreasociety.org. For more information contact Yuni Cho at (212) 759-7525, ext. 323 or e-mail Yuni
June 21st (Thursday)
귀로 (A Road to Return)
B&W, 90 min. 1967
Director: Lee Man-Hee
Casting: Kim Jin-Gyu, Mun Jeong-Suk, Jeon Gye-Hyeon
Alfred
Hitchcock’s Rear Window, with all its raw tension, pluck out the
violence and replace it with a complex web of emotional betrayal and
voila, you have A Road to Return. With it, Lee tells the story of a
disabled writer and his nursemaid wife whose wandering affections tear
him between gratitude, jealousy and resignation.
Cannes 2007
Breath, which has already been screened at Cannes - it was screened on Saturday (19th May) - follows a women who discovers that her husband has been unfailthful and subsequently begins a relationship with a convicted criminal. Starring Zia and Taiwanese actor Chang Chen, it certainly sounds like the narrative Kim Ki-duk would direct. But, according to Chosun it was recieved very well in Cannes with a 10 minute standing ovation following the film.
Breath (숨) directed by Kim Ki-duk
Meanwhile Secret Sunshine, which is to be screened on Thursday, directed by the legend director Lee Chang-dong from Oasis, Peppermint Candy and Green Fish has already recieved much expactation. Jeon Do-Yeon (You are my sunshine, Happy End) stars who takes who son to reside in his dead fathers home town, Milyang - the Korean title of the film. Song Kang-ho (The Host, Memories of Murder, The Show Must Go) falls in love with her as her life breaks apart.
Secret Sunshine (밀양) directed by Lee Chang-dong
Will they win?! Well, who knows - Cannes is well known for its surprises, so you can never tell, but following the positive rececption of Breath and the highly expected Secret Sunshine from a very talented directed, there is much to expect.
But these are only two of the films to be screened at Cannes. As well as a competition, it is also a place buyers and sellers are out in force. Therefore, some of the Korean distributors have brought some films with them.
As for CJ Entertainment, in addition to Secret Sunshine, which they will no doubt sell to a variety of distributors, are screening May 18 dircted by Kim Ji-hoon, Voice of a Murderer directed by Park Jin-Pyo, Soo directed by Choi Yang-il and My Son directed by Jang-jin. They are also trying to sell Hwang jin-yi, which is currently in post-production from director Chang Youn-hyun (Tell Me Something).
Those who are lucky to attend, must make there way to the Clineclick Asia stand who have a preview of The Good, The Bad, The Weird (좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈) from Kim Jee-Woon. Starring 3 Korean stars, Lee Byeong-hyeon (A Bittersweet Life) ("The Good"), Jeong Woo-Seong ("the Bad") and Song Kang-Ho ("The Weird"). This is the first of what Kim Jee-woon calls the 'Oriental Western' - it sounds fantastic, so go and have a look.
Other films on show are Paradise Murdered - it has performed well in the domestic box office - which has its final screening today from MK Pictures. MK Pictures will also try and sell future releases including Once upon a Time in Seoul directed by Bae Hyung-jun (Too Beautiful to lie), The Bridge at Nogunri directed by Lee Sang-woo, Forever the Moment directed by Lim Soon-rye, and Girl Scout directed by Kim Sang-man.
Meanwhile Studio 2.0 will be presenting Highway Star. directed by Kim Sang-Chan and Kim Hyun-soo starring Cha Tae-Hyun (My Sassy Girl), Epitaph directed by Jung Bum-sik, A Ghosts Story directed by Lim Jin-pyung, Shall I Cry directed by Choi Chang-Hwan and Aachi & Ssipak - which has been sold to almost everywhere except the UK - directed by Joe Bum-jin.
It is quite an exhasutive list. Those who are would like more information, please go to the cannes website. I will do a full report on the performances of the films and what films have been sold to where, especially the U.K
Source: Screen International issue 1596
Berlin Film Festival 8th -18th February 2007
Berlin
is now in full swing. It is screening 9 films in total from Korean
directors. The main attention is on director Park Chan-Wook (박찬욱) for I'm a cyborg, but that's OK (싸이보그지만 괜찮아),
which is included in the competition. It has flopped at home -
audiences came out very confused, which is quite ironic seeing Park has
said that this is the most commerical film he has ever made. As his
films are always rich in philosophy, there is some opinion, he has gone
to far, perhaps into the territory of Kim ki-duk. And, let us not
forget, that Kim Ki-duk and Park for that matter are becoming more
popular abroad, rather than on home soil. This film could be Park's
most successful film to hit international territory, though to beat
Oldboy will take some beating. Incedently all screenings for Cyborg, but that's OK are sold out.
I'm a cyborg, but that's OK (싸이보그지만 괜찮아) directed byPark Chan-Wook (박찬욱)
As for the other 8, there is quite of mix, first of all there are box office material; Dasepo Naughty Girls (다세포 소녀), Like a Virgin (천하장사 마돈나), and Women onThe Beach (해변의 여인) and ice Bar ( 아이스케키) . They all featured in the box office last year, though they could of done alot better than they did. They were also on show at Pusan last year, so it is probably not a coincidence that they are in Berlin. Ad lib Night (아주 특별한 손님) directed by Lee Yoon-Ki (이윤기) is also being shown. No Regret (후회하지 않아), which follows a gay theme - quite unusual up until late in Korean film, is also being screened. These films are not included in the competition.
Ad lib Night (아주 특별한 손님) directed by Lee Yoon-Ki (이윤기)
There is also a callaboration between France, Mognolia and Korea in Desert Dream. And finally there is an interesting documentary Nikki S.Lee - it is directed by and starring Ms. Lee,
who follows herself relfexively making a documentary. This film is included in the competition.
Nikki S.Lee directed and featuring Ms Lee.
For more festival info please visit their website.
A full report will be availble on Monday 19th February 2007.
Further festival info on other festivals will be availble by the close of the week.