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Category Archives: Autumn K-Film 2007

Korean film at the 51st BFI London Film Festival (late October 2007) and the London Korean Film Festival (early November 2007)

Starbucks morality

13-Nov-07
Han Hyeong-mo: Madame Freedom (1956) Round 2 of the Korean classic film double bill... In Shin Sang-ok's 1961 film which formed the first part of the double bill on 5 November, a widow cannot talk to a man outside her family, and is expected to obey her mother-in-law. Admittedly, the film is set in the Korean countryside, rather than the metropolis, but the conservative morality is the sort that you expect to see in many Korean films. Wind back the clock 5 years to Han Hyeong-mo's Madame Freedom and the shock of that film becomes apparent. A couple kiss in the street, even though, according to the male, their relationship is purely casual. Women gather together for drinking and smoking parties. A married ...
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Brief Encounter with Chopin

12-Nov-07
Shin Sang-ok: My Mother and Her Guest (1961) It was a shame to see two of the most interesting films in the London Korean Film Festival -- My Mother and Her Guest and Madame Freedom -- so sparsely attended. The Barbican had generously allocated its largest screen (capacity 286) in anticipation of enthusiastic interest -- but unfortunately only at most 30 people showed up. To be honest, I had gone mainly out of a sense of duty -- the only other classic Korean film I'd seen to date was Aimless Bullet, which I had found heavy going. So I went with low expectations, anticipating wooden plotlines and acting, and a generally unsophisticated cinematic experience. I got chatting to a member of the audience ...
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London Korean Film Festival - vote for your favourite film

09-Nov-07
The end of the London Korean Film Festival 2007 earlier today gives me the opportunity to test a new WordPress plugin in preparation for some more extensive use later on this year. [poll=2] Vote away, and please report any bugs.
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The Korean Film Festival roadshow

30-Oct-07
This year the Korean Film Festival is not just showing in London. Selected highlights will also be showing in Warwick and Oxford. In addition, Park Chan-wook will be seeing some of the sights of Middle England, as he will be accompanying the tour, giving a talk on I'm a Cyborg at both locations. The festival comes to the Warwick Art Centre, 9-11 November, where the running order also includes a talk by Korean film expert Julian Stringer: Fri 9 Nov 6.15pm | War of the Flower (15) Sat 10 Nov 11am | Film Talk with Julian Stringer South Korean cinema has recently risen to global prominence as the latest 'new cinema' to attract the attention of international audiences. This illustrated talk by Julian Stringer (University of Nottingham) ...
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Secret Sunshine at the BFI London Film Festival

29-Oct-07

Secret Sunshine at the BFI London Film Festival

Note: this post contain spoilers It was slightly disappointing to see Screen One of the Odeon West End (seating capacity: 500) somewhat under half full for the London premiere of Lee Chang-dong's Secret Sunshine last Monday. By contrast, No Mercy for the Rude, a film which (from its description at least) is much more in the hackneyed Asia Extreme mainstream, was fully booked for the following night, albeit at the much smaller ICA screen (seating capacity: 185). At two hours twenty minutes, it's a long film, but somehow time didn't seem to drag. The slowest part was the time up to the point when Shin-ae suffers the calamity which sets off her downward spiral. The nature of the calamity itself was guessable ...
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London Korean Film Festival 2007 programme announced

11-Oct-07
Not to be confused with the excellent range of Korean films on offer at the 51st BFI London Film Festival in late October, this is the second London Korean Film Festival to be organised by the Korean Cultural Centre and the Korean Culture and Content Agency (KOCCA). Last year they sprung it on us at the last minute, and it was the all-too-familiar queue-up-and-hope-you-manage-to-get-a-seat scenario. This year, things are a lot more professional. We knew it was happening months in advance, and, hurrah, you can actually buy tickets in advance. The bad news is that the opening and closing screenings are pretty much block-booked for VIPs, so get in there quick. While the BFI London Film Festival has a good range ...
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London Korean Film Festival 2007 programme details

10-Oct-07
Here's the running order. Some commentary to follow tomorrow. Breath (숨) (12A) (2007) Dir Kim Ki-duk (김기덕) 84 min / Opening Gala Special Preview 19:30 / Introduced by special guest Ambassador Dr. Cho Yoon-Je of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea 2 Nov 07 / 19:30 / Cinema 1 The latest film from the acclaimed director of Spring Summer Autumn Winter and Spring, Palme d'Or nominee Breath garnered a 10 minute standing ovation on its premiere in Cannes earlier this year. This gentle, offbeat love story centres on the quirky relationship between bored housewife and budding interior decorator Yeon and her unusual new best friend, suicidal death row prisoner Jang Jin. A beautiful and touching film that cements Kim Ki-duk's status as a master filmmaker. The ...
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K-film at the BFI London Film Festival

28-Sep-07
Not to be confused with the Korean Film Festival at the Barbican at the beginning of November (on which more later), the BFI London Film Festival in October has an excellent spread of recent Korean film. The Highlight: Secret Sunshine (Lee Chang-dong, 2007, starring Jeon Do-Yeon, Song Kang-Ho, 142 mins) "A devastating account of a woman's mental turmoil." For those coming to Korean film for the first time, this is possibly the most important film to come out of Korea this year, partly because it marks Lee's return to film-making after 5 years, and partly because it won Jeon Do-yeon best actress at Cannes. Mon 22 Oct 20:30, Odeon West End 1 £11.00 Tue 23 Oct 12:30, Odeon West End 2 £11.00 Links: More details on the ...
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