2010 Film Festivals
London Korean Film Festival (5th November to 14th November 2010)
Belfast ( 19th November - 21st November 2010)
Cambridge (15th - 21st November 2010)
Cardiff (13th -14th November 2010)
Odeon Cinema Westend, Leicester Square
Apollo Cinema, Piccadilly Circus
ICA, the Mall
It's that time of year again, and the London Korean Film Festival is upon us. Since their website includes all the information you need, I am not going to repeat what it says on their literature and website, but I will make a few recommendations. The festival also travels to Belfast, Cambridge and Cardiff.
The festival opens with the UK premiere of The Man From Nowhere / 아저씨, and the director, Lee Jeong-beom (이정범) will be attending a Q&A. The screening in Pusan too had a Q&A, which was very interesting, so I am sure it will be worth attending. My review of this film will be going up later on in the week, but I will say now that it's definitely worth seeing, especially if you are a fan of Won-bin and/or a good action flick.
On the following evening, they are a screening the UK premiere of I saw the Devil / 악마를 보았다, which is a MUST SEE. It is Kim Je-woon's (김지운) latest and most impressive work to date, which for me is one of, if not the best Korean film of 2010. The Q&A in Pusan was terrific, and if they are screening the unedited version, you are in for a real treat.
As for the remaining films on show, there is a mix of pretty much everything, and I am sure there will be something for you. It all depends on what interests you: horror, action, war epics and so on and so forth.. I strongly recommend Paju /파주 and then there is the Jang Jin (장진) retrospective and he is also coming over to take your questions. Good Morning President / 굿모닝 프레지던트 is really enjoyable and witty - it is pretty charactertisitc of Jang Jin. He is one of the most distinctive, clever and witty directors working in Korea. His films always feel very Korean; in some ways more so than many of his counterparts. Even if you don't know his work very well, check him out - this is a rare opportunity to indulge in his work.
The festival, as ever, closes with a bang. This year Im Sang-soo is coming over with the Housemaid / 하녀 - the remake of the 1960 classic. Although not quite the masterpiece the original has become, it is still a very impressive piece of work and Im Sang-soo's 임상수 Q&As are always fun and informative, so I'm sure it will be a terrific evening. Im Sang-soo is also going to Cambridge, so if you can't make it London, try and go to Cambridge - he will be at the Cambridge Arts Centre on 15th November doing a Q&A after the screening of The Housemaid. Cambridge is also playing host to talk by academic Mark Morris after the screening of A Little Pond / 작은 연못 on 21st November.
Few Korean film festivals have the number of films the London Korean film festival screens, and very very few are able to bring over as much talent. So, have a look at their website, see what you fancy watching and book. All booking details are on their website. Unfortunately I won't be attending this year as I am in Korea, but I hope you all in the UK are able to go... Remember, if you can't make the London dates, some of the films are going to Belfast, Cambridge and Cardiff.
Festival website (www.koreanfilm.co.uk)
Hong Sang-soo (홍상수) retrospective, 1st September - 18th November,
various locations around the UK
This is not a film festival as such, but it is has as many screenings as a film festival. This is not only the first Hong Sang-soo retrospective in the UK, but arguably one the most comprehensive anywhere for that matter as it screens most of his feature films - it isn't screening his latest, Oki's movie /옥희의 영화, which has yet to be released in Korea. It is being premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
Drinking is a running motif in Hong's films as illustrated in the image above from Like You Know it All / 잘 알지도 못하면서
I am not going to bore you with a list of dates and screening times, just merely indicate what an opportunity this is for you to explore the work of Hong Sang-soo. He is one of Korea's finest independent film directors who has created a unique style, which makes his work stand out, quite significantly, in fact. He refuses to conform to cinematic conventions as he leaves the camera on and quite often lets spontaneity take control with the help of some Soju (Korean vodka), in some cases. Yet at the same time, paradoxically, his films also feel that they have been carefully scripted with a point he wants to convey; all be it, in a rather more ambigious fashion. As a result, some share a somewhat ambivalent feeling towards his work. But as his sold out screenings at the London Film Festival would suggest, he commands a great deal of respect on the global cinema circuit and thus, even though his films have failed to be distributed here in the UK, he remains one of the most popular arthouse Korean film directors around.
Director Hong with Moon So-ri, on set whilst making HaHaHa / 하하하 - 夏夏夏 - the film won the Un Certain Regard film at Cannes this year.
The retrospective is being curated by the Independent Cinema Office (ICO) in partnership with the Korean Culture Centre, UK. As with most directoral retrospectives, it wouldn't be an event without the director doing one or two Q&As. He is doing Q&As in Cambridge on Tuesday 7th September and Manchester on Saturday 4th September. Although it doesn't state it on their website, according to the Korean Culture's website, he is also doing a Q&A in London on Friday 3rd September with Tony Rayns, which would make sense. I imagine he will be coming over to London before going to Venice where Oki's movie will be screened on 11th September.
Women is the Future of Man (2004) / 여자는 남자의 미래다, which proved to be quite controversial.
The festival begins in London on 1st September with a screening of The Day a Pig Fell into the Well /돼지가 우물에 빠진 날 and concludes on the 18th November in Dartington. The films will be screened all over the UK, including Belfast, Sheffield and Bristol.
For more information on screening times, please go to ICO's website. They don't have times up at present, but I imagine they will put these up in the not too distant furture.
Sources:
ICO (Summary of event)
ICO (film schedule)
Korean Cultural Centre, UK