Simon McEnteggart

May 29, 2013January 31, 2015

Modern Family (가족 시네마) – ★★★☆☆

Modern Family (가족시네마 )

Modern Family (가족 시네마) is a collection of four short films that explores the different forms of trauma that can occur for contemporary families. Each story is a very interesting and well-crafted vision of the issues facing the family unit, with each respective director’s style shining through in the quest to articulate the emotional complexities of the situation.

The short films deal with a surprising array of topics including unemployment, the loss of a child, parental responsibility and women’s rights in the workplace. What is wonderful about each entry is the sincerity in which the issue is explored. Often subtle and understated, Modern Family is an insightful film about the complexities of family and the attempts to survive in contemporary society.

Yet ironically, as each short film is so interesting, they all feel as if they end too soon. All four directors have chosen potent topics to explore, and the short time limit means that each respective story feels cut short. The depth each director has applied in examining familial issues is powerful yet seems to only scratch the surface of the situation. It is a testament to the director’s skill that each entry causes a desire for more information, but it is a desire that, for the most part, goes unfulfilled.

In the interest of fairness, each short film is reviewed individually, before a final summary.

Circle Line (순환선)

Circle Line (순환선) – ★★★★☆

Director Shin Su-won’s (신수원) Circle Line is the most prestigious entry within Modern Family, having won the Canal+ prize at Cannes in 2012. The award is thoroughly deserved, as director Shin employs some wonderful artistic shots and symbolism in exploring the life of a middle-aged man who has recently been made unemployed. To make matters worse, his wife is soon to give birth to their second child. Depressed and ashamed, the man simply travels on the subway circle line all day, searching for jobs on his laptop and observing the assortment of characters that come and go. Director Shin articulates the man’s frustrations superbly through the mise-en-scene and the minor, but highly symbolic, confrontations that arise. Jeong In-gi (정인기) is also terrific as the redundant father-to-be, providing a restrained performance that suddenly explodes when tensions become too much to bear. Circle Line is as much a commentary on contemporary masculinity, economy, and society as it is about family, and it’s the subtle manner in which each area is dealt with that makes the film so compelling.

Star-shaped Stain (별 모양의 얼룩)

Star-shaped Stain (별 모양의 얼룩) – ★★★☆☆

Star-shaped Stain is arguably the most poignant film in the omnibus, as director Hong Ji-young (홍지영) examinations a couple whose daughter died through tragic circumstances. Initially the couple seem to be coping extremely well with the loss, however with the anniversary of the youngster’s death the barriers that they have built to cope with the trauma gradually wear down. Director Hong does a great job of gently peeling back the layers of the protagonists, particularly of the mother (Kim Ji-young, 김지영) who feels such a tremendous sense of guilt that she continuously revisits the events of her final encounter with her daughter. The real tragedy comes in the form of the hope that her daughter is alive, as the once composed woman begins to unravel which is genuinely heartbreaking to witness. The moving film is unfortunately cut short just as it starts to become seriously compelling, as the protagonists are pushed into highly emotional and psychological territory but then abruptly ends. This is a real shame as there is a lot more potential to be explored, but which never materializes due to the limitations of the running time.

E.D.571

E.D.571 – ★★★☆☆

Director Lee Soo-yeon’s (이수연) entry is the only one which adds a more science-fiction sensibility to the exploration of family by setting the story in the year 2030. A workaholic career woman (Seon Woo-seon, 선우선) leads a rather lonely life, living purely to work. Yet it is thrown into disarray when a young girl (Ji Woo, 지우) appears on her doorstep claiming to be her biological daughter, the result of selling an unfertilized egg in order to pay for tuition years prior. The film is a commentary on parental responsibility with the media full of reports about criminal youths and gangs, but with the arrival of the biological daughter it becomes clear that such actions are the results of awful parenting and neglect. However E.D. 571 doesn’t really explore the issue with the depth required for it to be insightful, with mentions of certain situations but lacking the psychological and emotional depth for them to carry any weight. Part of the reason is the decision to shoot the entire confrontation in the woman’s home in the form of a battle of wits which, while certainly interesting, doesn’t really get to the heart of the issues being referenced.

In Good Company (인 굿 컴퍼니 )

In Good Company (인 굿 컴퍼니) – ★★★☆☆

In Good Company is an excellent examination of the misogyny and unfairness women are forced to endure in contemporary Korea. Director Kim Seong-ho (김성호) also wisely shoots his film in the form of a documentary adding a greater sense of realism, while adding dramatic ‘reconstructions’ of the events that occurred as a pregnant worker is forced to resign in order to save a company providing maternity pay. Interestingly, rather than centering the argument around exploitative patriarchy through the male boss – performed ably by Lee Myeong-haeng (이명행) – the narrative emphasises the work ethic within Korean culture, and the lack of female solidarity, as the source of the problem. This is where In Good Company really shines, as the women who should know better and support each other actually perpetuate the misogyny, which is a highly refreshing take on the subject. While the film explores the issues well, it is ultimately let down in the quest to tie up all the narrative loose ends through a contrived finale which undermines what came before.

Verdict:

Modern Family is an insightful collection of 4 short films concerned with trauma in the contemporary family unit. Each director – Shin Su-won, Hong Ji-young, Lee Soo-yeon and Kim Seong-ho – have each produced work that exemplifies their unique styles as well as exploring quite diverse areas, and the omnibus is consistently compelling throughout. The time limitations do have a negative impact on the storytelling however, as just as the narrative begins to push their protagonists in dramatic directions the film is cut short, or the rush to tie everything up leads to contrivances. Despite this, Modern Family is a thought-provoking drama, and a great showcase of directing talent.

★★★☆☆

International Women's Film Festival in Seoul (서울국제여성영화제) Reviews

May 28, 2013January 31, 2015

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WFFIS 2013: Quick Fire Reviews 3

The quick-fire reviews featured here are from the Asian Short Film and Video Competition (아시아 단편경선):

BRA (브라자)

BRA (브라자) – 7/10

Director Won Jan-di’s (원잔디) coming-of-age drama is a lovely and compelling story about a young girl called Da-young on the verge of entering adolescence The tale encapsulates a wide spectrum of human emotion as Da-hyung desires to be seen as a woman by the boy she likes, and as such focuses on breasts as the sign of womanhood. As Da-young steals her grandmother’s bra and attempts to create breasts of her own, the film becomes a heart-warming tale of innocence with sweet moments of genuine comedy and drama. Director Won also seeks to create a comparison between Da-young and her grandmother, who is going through similar trials of her own. Yet as the grandmother’s story isn’t as developed as Da-young’s it serves to detract from the main story, although their discussion about entering womanhood is poignant and insightful. Certainly one of the better short films in the competition.

Chunjung (춘정)

Chunjung (춘정) – 4/10

To be honest, it’s quite difficult to accurately review Chunjung as the English subtitles were so awful that the story was difficult to follow. Director Lee Mi-rang’s (이미랑) entry follows Chinese immigrant Chunjung, who joins an agency which cons elderly Korean people into parting with their money. It’s illegal of course, yet she forms relationships with the other women working there. It’s an odd film, as Chunjung appears to be mentally ill as well as illiterate, while the women at the agency always seem to talk about finding a man. Ultimately the film does very little to explore either the immigrant experience or Chunjung as a character, although hints of such may have been missed due to the terrible subtitles.

Fitting Room (피팅룸)

Fitting Room (피팅룸) – 4/10

Fitting Room is concerned with a mother who wishes to have a life of freedom, but can’t due to her young daughter. It is extremely difficult to empathise with the mother as she treats her daughter terribly throughout, never talking to her or attempting to understand the youngster. The turning point comes when the mother hides the sleeping girl in a closet in order to have sex with her boyfriend, which seems to be the catalyst for wishing to be a better mum. Director Oh Jung-mi (오정미) is clearly attempting to explore the evolving relationship between a bad single mother and her innocent daughter, but there is little depth due to the lack of dialogue and restriction within an apartment.

Mija (미자)

Mija (미자) – 6/10

Director Jeon Hyo-jeong’s (전효정) examination of lonely middle-aged woman Mija is an insightful, poignant, and often comedic short film. Her secret lover is a younger Nepalese man – a feature which sadly instigated gasps amongst the audience – and Mija decides to purchase tickets for them both to visit his homeland. The real power of the film lies in Mija’s desire to overcome her jealousies and her age through cosmetics and other methods, yet is ultimately unable to do so. The film is a poignant and moving depiction of a single middle-aged woman who wishes to change her life, with just enough comedy to keep the narrative from becoming bleak.

Mira’s Will (미라의 의지)

Mira’s Will (미라의 의지) – 5/10

One of the more straightforward comedy offerings, Mira’s Will tells the story of a lonely young woman who has yet to experience her first kiss. The film is often more mildly amusing rather than funny, although the advice given by a friend to enhance her sex appeal – not to wear underwear on a date – adds some laughs. Director Lee Eun-jeong’s (이은정) entry is entertaining, especially witnessing Mira take control of her sexuality in order to seduce a man, but suffers as she is so desperate she’s willing to accept anyone. The film also doesn’t end well as wearing no panties on a date leads to a predictable outcome. However it is refreshing to see a female character take control of her sexuality – and to desire sex – without any connotations of shame, and as such is an enjoyable tale.

The Room of Drink (살롱 드 보아)

The Room of Drink (살롱 드 보아) – 3/10

The Room of Drink is an exploration of the way in which women are exploited in hostess bars by wealthy men. The premise is full of potential, as the hostess bar culture in Korea highlights one of the more accepted forms of misogyny within the country. However the film fails to scratch any of the surfaces that are so ripe for examination. When a pretty, young office worker is asked to drop by such a bar to provide documents for her boss, she is ushered into acting like a hostess, pouring drinks for her boss’ companion and allowing him to touch her. The unease is palpable, although never moves into the realm of tension, while the glares passed between the office worker and the real hostess convey an odd mix of jealousy and judgement that are not really explored. A missed opportunity by director Sohn Hae-sook (손해숙).

May 27, 2013January 31, 2015

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WFFIS 2013: Quick Fire Reviews 2

The quick-fire reviews featured here are from the Polemics: The Constellation of the Violence Against Women (쟁점: 보이지 않는 – 폭력의 관계구조) section:

Bad Scene (배드신)

Bad Scene (배드신) – 6/10

Bad Scene depicts the story of struggling actress Jin-hong who, due to her 28 years of age, fails to get the part of a high school student. However there is a role in the film suitable for her, but it involves a lot of nudity. Writer/director Jeon Go-woon (전고운) explores the internal conflict of a woman who wishes to succeed yet must use her body to do so, highlighting the serious issue of the physical exploitation of women in the workplace. Yet ironically the strength of the film doesn’t lie in the main story, but in events that surround it. Jin-hong tapes her breasts to be upright and perky, and sexualizes herself in school uniform, even before the nude role is offered. In attempting to prepare for the sex scene, Jin-hong asks a male friend to help but in doing so is almost raped, as he protests that she, “started it.” The psychological and psychical exhaustion she suffers are clear throughout, yet the main problem with Bad Scene is that in depicting her private life the film loses focus on the actual ‘bad scene’ itself and the way women are exploited on camera. A moving and thought-provoking drama that could of benefited from greater focus and/or an extra ten minutes for exploration.

Deviation (도착)

Deviation (도착) – 5/10

Director Lee Min-beh (이민배) explores the ‘male gaze’ and the hypocrisy of masculinity in Deviation. On the subway Su-jin overhears men discussing the leak of a sex tape by a prominent actress, and the rampant misogyny in their ideology as they chastise the actress yet are excited by watching it. However the film then takes an awkward turn as Su-jin visits a police station due to the arrest of her boyfriend, who has been secretly taking pictures of women’s legs. The hypocrisy of the officers is explored as they accuse the boyfriend of perversion yet do so themselves, and make up appallingly sexist reasons for the crime. Much of the running time is spent in the station which is unfortunate, as the conversations are generally pushed too far beyond the realm of believability for it to be of consequence. Yet director Lee does finish on an ironic and pertinent end note, by directly accusing the audience of sexism through the voyeurism of the camera itself, which is a nice touch.

My No Mercy Home (잔인한 나의, 홈)

My No Mercy Home (잔인한 나의, 홈) – 7/10

Documentary My No Mercy Home is a powerful viewing experience, as director Aori (아오리) follows the court case of a young woman – nicknamed ‘Dolphin’ – as she sues her father for rape and sexual assault which commenced in the 8th grade. Yet what is truly shocking about this real-life story is how Dolphin’s family accuse her of lying, despite the evidence to the contrary, and ex-communicated by the mostly female members of the family. Technically the film is quite rough-around-the-edges, yet Dolphin’s story is so heart-breakingly sincere that it highly compelling, albeit difficult, viewing. One of the wonderful elements of My No Mercy Home is the emphasis on other women as villains; while the father is responsible for rape, it is Dolphin’s mother, aunt and sisters, as well as an ex-boyfriend’s mother and various others figures, who turn their backs on the truth and Dolphin’s suffering. While it would have benefited from greater technical prowess, the film is a sincere and moving documentary.

Festival News International Women's Film Festival in Seoul (서울국제여성영화제) Korean Festivals 2013 Reviews

Actress Gong Hyo-jin is wonderfully charismatic as Yeong-hee

May 27, 2013January 31, 2015

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WFFIS 2013: Quick Fire Reviews 1

The first in a series of quick-fire reviews from the 15th Seoul Women’s Film Festival, 2013:

You Are More Than Beautiful (그녀의 연기)

You Are More Than Beautiful (그녀의 연기) – 8/10

Director Kim Tae-yong’s (김태용) You Are More Than Beautiful is a wonderfully charismatic short film, due wholly to the performance of Gong Hyo-jin (공효진). The story involves Jeju Islander – and singleton – Cheol-su, who returns to the island upon hearing that his elderly father is seriously ill. To ease his father’s suffering Cheol-su hires actress Young-hee (Gong) to play the role of his fiancee, so that he may leave this world without worrying about his son. While it certainly sounds like weighty subject matter, Gong’s charisma and grace elevate the film into a heartfelt comedy-drama as her playful personality turns all forms of negativity into keen optimism. Indeed, her rendition of traditional Korean opera is poignantly moving and uplifting, emphasising her caliber as an actress. As one of the few directors in contemporary Korea cinema featuring women in prominent roles, Kim Tae-yong does incredibly well in simply allowing Gong to act, while his vision captures the Jeju scenery beautifully. A lovely short film.

My Place (마이 플레이스)

My Place (마이 플레이스) – 9/10

Having already seen My Place at the Jeonju International Film Festival, could director Park Moon-chil’s (박문칠) documentary have the same resonance on a repeated viewing? Absolutely. Experiencing director Park’s evolving perspective on his family is consistently compelling and entertaining, as he changes from a man worried about his sister’s out-of-wedlock pregnancy to a man who comes to admire her strength of character. The personal family trauma that he places on screen is sincere and poignant, and director Park never shies away from the more difficult – and defining – periods from their history. He balances the representation of each family member incredibly well, simultaneously caring yet objective, allowing for each person to openly convey their psychology. An excellent documentary about family hardship and the desire to set things right.

Pluto (명왕성)

Pluto (명왕성) – 9/10

Pluto is, quite simply, an excellent film. Director Shin Su-won’s (신수원) second feature length film is a brilliant exploration of the enormous pressure students experience within the Korean education system, and how the competitive nature to join a prestigious university forges a psychologically unbalanced generation. Director Shin’s vision shines throughout with some truly wonderful shots and compositions, articulating the fragile mental states of the protagonists by featuring superb use of the mise-en-scene. Some critics took issue with manner in which the film changes tone from high school drama to cop thriller, yet while the point is valid the evolving aesthetics and conventions do nothing to dampen the power of the story. In fact in doing so, the potency of the drama is elevated as adult institutions are held accountable, while the inclusion of thriller conventions should guarantee a more mainstream appeal. A powerful drama with an important social message, Pluto is certainly one of the best films of the year and it will very interesting to see audience reaction when it’s released nationwide in July.

Festival News International Women's Film Festival in Seoul (서울국제여성영화제) Korean Festivals 2013 Reviews

May 22, 2013January 31, 2015

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Interview With Documentary Producer Kim Min-chul (김민철) – Part 2

Producer Kim Min-chul

For Part 1 of the interview with documentary producer Kim Min-chul (김민철), please click on the link. In this second part, producer Kim discusses his company Minch & Films, the current environment for Korean documentaries, and his acclaimed and powerfully moving filmography.

Q) Throughout your filmography you seem to be attracted to stories about vulnerable people who find strength despite adversity. Iron Crows (아이언 크로우즈), My Barefoot Friend (오래된 인력거), Planet of Snail and Captain Kang all display this. What is it about these kinds of stories that attracts your interest? Why do you want to make documentaries about these subjects?

A) To be cynically honest with you, I don’t believe that documentaries can change the world. I am also not interested in a “Let’s change the world” type of documentary let alone making documentaries about vulnerable people in unfair world. I also try to avoid the word ‘despite’ in any synopsis or treatment I write. As a producer, what counts for me the most in selecting a project is the ‘chemistry’ I have with the director. The same rule is applied for scouting production crews. I trust my gut feeling or intuition over a profile or CV. As every other producer does, I also make mistakes in selecting projects or scouting crews and it’s usually because I ignored my gut feeling and made decisions based on conditions and situations.

Having recalled how I got involved in those films, I can only say that it’s really a series of coincidences that my filmography looks like this. I want to work with only good people because I don’t separate my professional life from private life. I am not selective about a subject but about filmmakers. I don’t care much about the subject but how a director deals with the subject. To my understanding, documentary is a form of cinema after all so it must be cinematically entertaining.

My Barefoot Friend depicts the life of rickshaw workers in Calcutta

Maybe I can put it this way; it’s not me who found the subjects but the directors who share certain values in life, and their tendency of filmmaking, and found me.

When Seung-Jun first pitched Planet of Snail – originally it was titled Hazy Journey of the Illuminating Tree – in April 2009, I showed my clear disinterest by saying, “Good luck,” because I was already depressed to hear how miserable life is for the deaf blind man and his crippled wife. I am not interested in making films I don’t want to watch. I didn’t see any charm in the character description or the subject of disability in the two-page proposal written by Seung-Jun in the very beginning of the project. What convinced me to board the project was the director’s vision I saw in the 10 minutes short film he made of the same protagonists he presented a couple of months after his first pitch. Seung-Jun somehow managed to depict the world of a deaf and blind poet without showing any pitifulness towards the characters. I watched his first feature The Children of God in the very evening of the same day at a film festival and I could almost visualize the film Seung-Jun was going to make.

As for Iron Crows, I was fascinated by the dignity of the characters deliberately depicted as heroes, then I realized that the director Bong-Nam Park’s own experience of living as a gas cutter for 3 years really made him see them as colleagues and working class heroes more than pitiful documentary subjects.

Iron Crows captures the hardships of shipbreakers in Bangladesh

Captain Kang is a film that I put most efforts and am most proud of even though it’s probably not the most successful film. What impressed me the most besides his distinctive cinematography when the director Ho-Yeon pitched his story was his attitude toward the subject. I admire his dignity and humbleness as a filmmaker very much. When I decided to produce it, I was joking to the director that soon the industry would brand me as a disability specialized producer.

Q) There are an incredible amount of Korean documentaries being produced in the industry today, mostly by independent companies. These documentaries are often successful at film festivals, yet fail to reach mainstream audiences. What do you think about the role of Korean documentaries in contemporary cinema? Why do they struggle to become ‘mainstream’?

A) I am not sure what you mean by an incredible amount of Korean documentaries. In my opinion, there are far too little documentaries produced in Korea for the size of the population or the industry and compared to the number of fiction films. I am also not sure if you can say that these documentaries are “successful” in film festival circuit. Can you name 10 successful Korean documentaries in the entire history of Korean cinema without looking up your database? Despite the significant rise of current documentaries, I don’t think there are enough documentaries produced to make any meaningful market analysis in my opinion. And the documentaries are not diverse enough compared to the documentaries that are introduced at international documentary markets and festivals. It seems that most Korean documentaries come from either activism-oriented filmmaker groups or human-interest documentary groups who are often associated with TV documentary production.

Jeju Prayer (비념) mixes activism and human interest documentary conventions in exploring the 1948 Jeju Island massacre

Jeju Prayer (비념), by Indiestory, mixes activism and human interest documentary conventions in exploring the 1948 Jeju Island massacre

Activism-oriented documentaries often try to convey political agendas directly whereas most human-interest documentaries search for touching, often tear-jerking, human stories of vulnerable, and often pitiful, characters. Knowing how documentary has developed in Korea it’s more than understandable. Knowing how badly freedom of speech is practiced in Korea, I very much appreciate the role of activism-oriented documentaries that fill a niche in the mainstream media. However, I am missing ‘diversity’ here. Why are all the documentaries dealing with serious subjects almost always in a monotonously serious and direct fashion? Why is it hard to see cinematic documentaries? At film festivals and cinemas in Europe and North America I am seeing many diverse styles of documentaries screened and they are often successful these days. Many of them are highly entertaining yet still dealing with serious subjects such as social justice, war or human rights. Personally I would love to see comedy, musical, action noir genre of documentaries made in Korea by Korean filmmakers.

Poor production quality is another thing that makes Korean documentaries invisible in mainstream cinema. Audiences don’t seem to care much whether it’s documentary or fiction when making decisions to watch films in cinema. You can’t force or beg audiences to watch a documentary despite poor production quality while the ticket prices are more or less the same, and it’s their decision which film they choose to spend their leisure time on. We filmmakers need to work on diversity and production quality of the film we make but I also think there is a serious need for more subsidies from the public sector, not only because of its value for the public good but also because documentary is too weak to freely compete in the market. The government needs to have a long-term investment plan on documentaries in order to make it sustainable. Korean cinema is one of the strongest in the international film market and Korean filmmakers really make good films, but they take time and effort. I don’t believe documentary should be an exception.

Q) You have stated in prior interviews that you have co-producers in Europe, America, and Asia. What are the benefits of having international co-productions? Why are they important/significant?

International co-productions are a great source of funding, but aren’t always easy

A) I like to work with international crews with diverse backgrounds. This is one my strengths as a producer and I very much enjoy seeing how the collaboration between filmmakers with different cultural backgrounds creates chemistry and influences the end result of the film. Providing that filmmaking is teamwork, I feel like a great alchemist when intended collaborations work out. I finance part of my films by international co-production in return for working with production crews from the country of co-production. Planet of Snail is one of the successful cases of international co-production as the collaboration with Finnish sound team definitely added a lot to the production quality of the film, and my Finnish co-producer raised the whole expenses spent in Finland. However international co-production is a double-edged sword when it comes to the conditions for spending. The budget raised by international co-production needs to be spent according to the regulations set by each funder. Usually the money needs to be spent in the country of co-production and often they ask to hire local creative talent. It can be very good if there is room for the talent and your co-producer has the right creative talent for your film to work with. What if there is no more room for creative talents? What if you don’t know how to communicate or work with international film crews? Nowadays I see many producers and film professionals who tend to believe that international co-production is a cure for all and blindly jump into the trap of bad co-production. What’s the use of raising international funds if there is no creative talent who can contribute to the film, or you don’t know how to work together?

Q) You have created your own company Minch & Films. What do you hope to achieve through the company? Does having offices in Seoul and Holland benefit Minch & Films in any way?

Minch & Film was established in 2011

A) Since 2011, I founded and own my own company Minch & Films currently based in Seoul.

I established Minch & Films to be a true story based production. Currently Minch & Films is based only in Seoul while collaborating with post-production talents in Belgrade (Serbia) and multiple co-production partners in Europe and North America.

Currently Minch & Films (or better as producer Min-Chul Kim) is more known internationally than domestically but we are not only making documentaries for international audiences but also for Korean audiences. We are not sticking to the documentary genre or film as platform but cross over genres and media such as game and comics.

(Please follow this link for Minch & Films facebook page)

Q) Can you give any details about any future documentaries and collaborations you are involved in? Will you use Minch & Films to help promote them?

A) State of Play is a feature documentary about what it takes to be a pro-gamer featuring the e-sports champion Lee Jae-Dong. This is a minor co-production with Visualantics, a emerging documentary production in Belgium. I brought Korean Communication Committee and Seoul Film Commission on board and it’s currently in the final post- production to be released in the summer. (See below for the trailer).

MotoSeoul is a feature documentary about young people living on the edge of Seoul dependent on the speed of motorcycle such as quick service rider, Chinese deliveryman and high school bikey gang in the style of Hong Kong noir movie. It has been developed with Seoul Film Commission’s international co-production development support in 2011 although I have been developing this project since 2006. I am expecting to start production in the summer with Ho-Yeon Won as director (Captain Kang’s director).

Scream For Me Sarajevo is a music documentary about heavy metal legend Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden’s frontman) and his band’s journey to war torn Sarajevo during the siege in 1994, and what a music concert meant to the people in the least humane living condition. It’s a music film, a road movie and a documentary about war, bravery and human dignity. I am currently visiting London for the pre-production meeting with Bruce and forming the production team. It’s in the early stage of pre-production.

Q) Finally, what do you think about the current environment of Korean documentaries on the global stage? Are they well received, or are there limitations? For example, how do you promote your films internationally to achieve a high profile?

Producer Kim discusses his projects

A) Relatively more Korean documentaries are introduced to the international market since some of the documentaries achieved some level of international success. However global documentary markets are heavily dominated by European and North American productions while documentaries not only about China as subject but also directed and produced by Chinese are growing significantly in numbers as well as in quality. To promote my films internationally, I participate in pitch forums, film markets and festivals and work with international partners such as sales agent, co-producers, and publicists. I also experiment with multimedia platform. For example, I produced an educational app for learning finger braille language to promote social engagement of Planet of Snail. You can download the app simply by opening the site www.planetofsnail.com on any tablet device such as iPad.

In order for Korean documentaries to be better received, we need more supports from Kofic and other public sector. There are always supporters behind successful documentaries.

Hanguk Yeonghwa is incredibly grateful for Producer Kim for taking the time for this interview, and be sure to look out for his future documentaries on the film festival circuit.

Interviews/Q&As Producers

May 21, 2013January 31, 2015

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Interview With Documentary Producer Kim Min-chul (김민철) – Part 1

Producer Kim Min-chul

Producer Kim Min-chul (김민철) has been quite a prolific figure on the film festival circuit over the past few years. Working hard to foster Korean filmmaking talent in conjunction with international co-productions, the documentary producer has been responsible for a string of acclaimed films that capture human endeavours in fascinating and thought-provoking ways.

His most successful film is the powerfully moving Planet of Snail (달팽이의 별) directed by Yi Seung-Jun (이승준), which featured in festivals worldwide as well as winning several notable accolades.

Producer Kim very kindly agreed to be interviewed about his history as a filmmaker, his perspective on international co-productions, and his thoughts on the future of Korean documentaries.

Q) Planet of Snail has been one of the most successful Korean documentaries in recent memory, achieving international acclaim in several continents. Can you describe how you achieved such success?

A) Planet of Snail has been screened at over 80 festivals so far since its national premiere at EIDF in 2010 winning a dozen of prizes including Joris Ivens award at IDFA and Best documentary feature at Silverdocs. It was theatrically released in Korea, Japan, USA, UK, Netherlands and Belgium and broadcasted over 20 countries. It certainly has become one of the most internationally acclaimed Korean documentaries and the film is still traveling around festivals even at this moment.

Critically acclaimed Planet of Snail has been incredibly successful

However, Planet of Snail began as a small project with a small local crew and minor indie subject of a disabled protagonist. As far as the subject or the production scale are concerned it was not meant to be this successful or popular. It was not easy at all to convince the people we need to have on board both locally and internationally. At local pitch forums, professionals didn’t understand why we need 2 years to finish a “human interest documentary” and advised us to lower down the budget that was already cut half to please the local standard. At international markets, no one questioned about the budget (the realistic one) or the production timeline but it was still not considered as a project to be this successful in the following year. A well-acclaimed professional even told us that this film is not sellable which was a real heartbreak for emerging filmmakers like us without much international experience. In the end we managed to get multiple national and international funds and broadcasters on board after all including EIDF (EBS Int’l Documentary Festival), BCPF (Broadcast Content Promotion Foundation), Sundance Documentary Fund, Cinereach Grant, Finnish Film Foundation, YLE and NHK.

Perhaps one of the keys to the success of this film is the development we’ve been through in an international documentary environment. I brought this project to Eurodoc, which is one of the European initiatives for educating international documentary professionals. I was lucky enough to be the first Asian producer among over a couple of dozen producers from all over Europe. The courses were divided into 3 sessions a week for each session over the period of a year. In different stages of production I was able to get feedback from various professionals including fellow producers, sales agents and commissioning editors and we also realized the potential of the film as a love story. While we pitched the project at several national and international pitch forums, we got to know the strengths and weaknesses of the project and evaluate the market potential of it. We also learned that a lot of people see the story as a love story which had never been our focus of the original dramaturgy. I must not forget to mention the benefit of having a colorful team of international crew. There were over a dozen members in the international crew involved in and out of the production with more than 10 different nationalities including a Lebanese editor, a Finnish sound designer, a Japanese commissioning editor, a Dutch poster designer, a US funder and a French sales agent etc. I am also almost proud to say that we formed the team not for the sake of international co-production budget spending regulations, but based on true artistic connections and the positive chemistry we had with each other.

Q) Why do you think this film resonates deeply with audiences?

A) What makes the film outstanding is not the subject itself but the film(maker)’s attitude toward the subject. There is almost no distance between the people in front of camera and those behind it in the film. The protagonists are vulnerable minorities who are usually protective against media but they act natural as if no one is seeing them. One could imagine that it’s impossible for a filmmaker to make such scenes without earning their trust with their whole heart. I have a huge respect for Seung-Jun for his sincerity and I believe that audiences felt it on the screen.

The unique world of Soon-ho and Yeong-chan is wonderfully conveyed

Director’s vision is another thing. The world’s most talented film crews would be useless without a visionary director. Filmmaking is teamwork and even the smallest documentary production involves a team. It wouldn’t have been possible to make such a unique film without a director like Seung-Jun who had been there almost invisibly for such a long time and captured the precious moments of everyday life and the special world of the deaf and blind and put them into screen as he saw and understood it.

We put a lot of effort in post-production in order to depict the sensitive, fragile and beautifully innocent world of the deaf and blind. Did I mention that Planet of Snail is edited by Lebanese filmmaker Simon El Habre who made One Man Village, the 2009 Hotdocs winner? Tom Fleischman, a five times Oscar nominated sound designer whose filmography includes The Silence of the Lambs supervised our sound post team in Finland.

Planet of Snail is one of the examples that show how a filmmaker’s vision is reflected in a documentary film. Among hundreds of different definitions of documentary, my favorite one is “creative interpretation of reality with personal view”.

Q) You have re-teamed with Planet of Snail director Yi Seung-jun for your latest documentary production. Can you tell us about the film?

A) Wind on the Moon is the story about a born deaf blind girl who can only express herself by crying, screaming, laughing and smiling and her devoted mother who struggles to understand her language like a secret code inscribed on the moon. We again took a poetic approach with the title. The moon is a lonely place where deaf blind girl Yeji may feel she lives in. There is no wind on the moon and no one else but the mother can feel the wind. Yeji in real life also loves to feel wind.

Director Yi Seung-jun’s unintrusive, compassionate style has garnered international interest

So we have another deaf blind protagonist but the subject is not the same nor is it Planet of Snail II. As far as the level of disability is concerned, Young-Chan (Planet of Snail) has at least a language but Yeji (Wind on the Moon) doesn’t and this could bring us to a different level of philosophical question; what makes a human a human? Young-Chan was able to learn braille language because he gradually lost his vision and hearing in his teenage whereas Yeji was born deaf and blind.

However, the biggest difference is the perspective of the narrative. Whereas in Planet of Snail the deaf blind protagonist leads the narrative (or tells the story) from his own perspective, in Wind on the Moon not the deaf blind girl but her mother’s perspective leads the narrative. Whereas Planet of Snail focuses on the inner world of deaf blind poet and his love story with his wife, Wind on the Moon focuses on the mother’s devotion and her struggle to communicate with her daughter. The story is told from the perspective of a mother of a disabled child and I believe there will be more audiences who could sympathize with characters this way compared to that of Planet of Snail.

In Wind on the Moon, the camera is almost invisible but still very intimate and close (I call it ‘A fly on the shoulder’ approach compared to ‘A fly on the wall’ approach). Last week, Seung-Jun showed me some scenes selected from the footage he shot over the last couple of months and I said anyone could tell it’s his film. It’s so intimate and lovely yet deliberately captures precious moments of the everyday life of the mother and the daughter. I look very much forward to see the movie as an audience myself.

Q) Why did you decide to work with director Lee again?

Captain Kang follows a disabled ship’s captain

A) Since the triumph of Planet of Snail at IDFA 2011, both Seung-Jun and I became busier than ever. While I was busy traveling and sharing my experiences of producing Planet of Snail at master classes here and there, I was force to finish up my next feature Captain Kang (강선장) with post-production crews in Belgrade. Seung-Jun has been traveling festivals and representing the film almost constantly for over a half of a year so we didn’t really have a chance to digest all the impressions and talk about what’s next until we met in Sheffield (How global we are!). When Seung-Jun pitched Wind on the Moon to me, I said, “You seem to have found the right project.” Seung-Jun seemed very happy to hear that because most feedback he had so far have been rather negative as they were not interested in another story with the same subject. I knew he saw something very special and worthy to make a film of in the protagonists. He is a man who doesn’t say anything before he is sure of. I trust Seung-Jun’s deliberate personality. Seung-Jun wanted to be safe with the production side of it especially because now the world documentary community is watching him for his next film.

Please see below for the trailer for Captain Kang:

For part 2 of the interview, please click on the link here.

Interviews/Q&As Producers

May 17, 2013August 7, 2015

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Boomerang Family (고령화가족) – ★☆☆☆☆

Boomerang Family (고령화가족)

As anyone familiar with Korean cinema is aware, comedy-dramas based around family are quite prolific. With the traditional family unit undergoing changes in recent years, the problems and dynamic appearing on screen has followed suit to reflect the evolving societal issues. Boomerang Family (고령화가족) is director Song Hae-seong’s (송해성) foray into the arena, and with previous films including Failan (파이란) and Maundy Thursday (우리들의 행복한 시간), the potential is certainly there for a penetrating examination of the contemporary family unit. Indeed, the trailer suggests a fun-filled look at at such dysfunctional characters. Except that it isn’t. Hitting someone over the head with a brick isn’t funny. Rape and sexual assault aren’t funny. Alongside spectacularly unlikable characters, cliched melodrama and the frankly bizarre last-minute inclusion of gangsters, the contrived and misogynistic screenplay is awful. While there are occasional moments of comedy and drama, and the idea of the close-knit family is debunked, there’s little else positive to say about Boomerang Family.

40 year old film director In-mo (Park Hae-il (박해일) is broke following the failure of his movie and separation from his wife, and decides to move back home with his mother (Yoon Yeo-jeong (윤여정). However older brother Han-mo (Yoon Je-moon (윤제문), a 44 year old ex-convict who still lives at home, is not happy about the move as he doesn’t wish to share. While trying to accept the new situation, they are joined by 35 year old sister Mi-yeon (Kong Hyo-jin (공효진) and her daughter Min-kyeong (Jin Ji-hee (진지희). As the family continually bicker and fight placing stress on their poor mother, Min-kyeong decides to run away from home which forces them all to unite.

In-mo returns home to a beating from older brother Han-mo

The opening of Boomerang Family adequately sets up the kind of comedy to be expected during the film. In-mo fights a man who slept with his wife, and as he begins to lose, In-mo clubs the man on the back of the head with a rock before kicking him while he’s down. Yet as the soundtrack is a light-hearted, French style ditty, these violent images are intended to be humourous. Bizarrely this becomes a running ‘gag’ throughout the film, as when difficult situations arise the respective character simply uses a brick to the head to resolve it. One such incident involves Han-mo who spies a woman in the process of being sexually assaulted and/or raped, and he becomes very excited at the prospect of watching it continue. It’s only when he realises the woman in question is his sister than Han-mo acts by beating the man to a pulp, yet Mi-yeon ends the confrontation by clubbing her own brother with a brick. The reason? The man is her boyfriend. Yet this is not the only incident of misogyny. Despite being the central protagonists In-mo also tries to sexually assault a hairdresser, in order to upset his brother. Luckily she fights him off, but then In-mo staggering admonishes her by stating that people their age can’t love, that only physical needs remain. Rape and perversion are apparently sources of comedy – and are forgivable – in the world of Boomerang Family.

Such incidents highlight the serious problem with the film, as none of the family members are actually likable save the mother and youngster Min-kyeong, both of whom are largely ignored within the family and by the script. When Mi-yeon returns home claiming she wants to divorce her husband, she is scolded by her brothers even after they have seen she is a victim of domestic violence. To resolve the problem In-mo and Han-mo drink with the husband and beg him to take her back, yet when he insults the family the brothers – surprise! – club him with a brick. When In-mo meets with his cheating spouse to discuss divorce she also offends the family, and he responds by nearly striking her in public. Meanwhile Han-mo masturbates by using his niece’s panties as stimulation. It is very difficult to align with any of the characters save the female protagonists, yet Mi-yeon and Min-kyeong are so stuck up and rude it’s not easy with them either. Ultimately what’s left to enjoy is the family interaction and squabbling.

The mother must suffer the awful behaviour exhibited by her children

The in-fighting displayed by the family is certainly the most enjoyable aspect of Boomerang Family as they curse and hit each other in the manner expected of pre-school children. The immaturity is somewhat humourous, although the comedy is very hit-and-miss and there’s only so many times that kicks to the stomach and fart gags can be funny. For his part director Song Hae-seong competently helms the film although he is never really displays any flair or challenging material as he has done with his previous works. A similar criticism applies to all the acting talent involved, as they all give solid performances without doing much more. This is mostly due to the script which has precious little characterisation for them to work with, and as such audiences are forced to rely on knowledge of the actors star persona and receive enjoyment from them doing silly things.

The script is also responsible for writing the characters into a corner, and then struggling to get them out of it. The result is a family meeting whereby all the secrets they’ve been withholding are revealed, and clearly the attempt is for comedy as each secret becomes more shocking then the last. Yet these revelations are actually more dramatic and sad than funny, and despite the big shocks there isn’t any real exploration or impact. However, the screenwriters use this event as the catalyst for Min-kyeong to run away from home, and thus begins the contrite twist which so often plagues the Korean film industry. Gangsters suddenly emerge to threaten the family, shady business deals with huge amounts of money are made, criminals that abduct and rape teenagers appear, flashbacks to unseen melodrama feature, and so forth. One incident of extreme violence forces Park Hae-il to provide a glimpse of a performance he is capable of, but it’s fleeting. However, the real question is, can everyone make it to Mi-yeon’s wedding – to the guy that previously tried to assault her – and have a happy ending? It’s very hard to overlook such flaws in order to accept such a finale.

Can the prospect of a new marriage bring peace to the family?

Verdict:

Boomerang Family is a comedy-drama about bickering, immature siblings that crucially is neither funny nor dramatic. The violence of hitting someone with a brick to the head is not comedic, nor is the rampant misogyny featured throughout where rape and sexual assault are not only intended to be entertaining, but also forgivable. Director Song Hae-seong competently helms the film, while solid performances are provided by the actors involved, yet as their characters are so utterly unlikable it’s difficult to align with them let alone find enjoyment.

★☆☆☆☆

Reviews

The 15th International Women's Film Festival in Seoul

May 15, 2013January 31, 2015

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WFFIS 2013: Asian Short Film and Video Competition

The 15th International Women’s Film Festival in Seoul

With so many exciting films centered around the representation of women in cinema and women’s issues, the International Women’s Film Festival in Seoul is gearing up to be a strong event for its 15th installment. Previously, the Korean offerings that have been explored here at Hanguk Yeonghwa emphasise the many and varied roles occupied by women in cinema, in New Currents, The Coming of Age in Asian Women Filmmaking and Violence Against Women, and Actress, Muse With A Movie Camera and Queer Rainbow: Queer x Feminism. Each of these categories serve to place a spotlight on the talented female filmmakers that exist within Korea, and their explorations of the great many contemporary challenges they face.

However every great film festival needs a competition, and WFFIS is no different. Here the Korean entries in the Asian Short Film and Video Competition are profiled, with an incredibly broad range of topics featured. From adolescent tales of puberty to desiring a first kiss, from a secret relationship with a foreigner to feminist figures, the short film competition has something strikes a chord with just about every age group.

Asian Short Film and Video Competition

The Bathhouse (목욕탕)

The Bathhouse (목욕탕)

Director: Kim Ji-su (김지수)

Synopsis: This 7 minute animated film explores the sauna culture within Korea, where people soak themselves in pools of different temperatures. The style conveys something of a celebration of women’s bodies.

Beast Is My Middle Name (맹수는 나의 것)

Beast Is My Middle Name (맹수는 나의 것)

Director: Kim Bo-ra (김보라)

Synopsis: Female sexuality is explored in this drama as student Ji-ran develops a fascination for Yu-jin’s thighs, and thoughts and fantasies begin to emerge.

BRA (브라자)

BRA (브라자)

Director: Won Jan-di (원잔디)

Synopsis: BRA follows a young girl called Da-young, whose love for a man across the street leads her to desiring a bra like her friend wears. But will it provide confidence?

Chunjung (춘정)

Chunjung (춘정)

Director: Lee Mi-rang (이미랑)

Synopsis: Drama Chunjung explores the life of a woman living in contemporary Korea, and her desire to create a home. Her work and relationships are also featured.

The Confession (못 다한 이야기)

The Confession (못 다한 이야기)

Director: Kim Bo-mi (김보미)

Synopsis: This documentary is a heartfelt entry as the narrator explores the pain and loneliness of her separation from her ex-boyfriend.

Dictee-An Homage to Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (딕테-차학경 오마주)

Dictee-An Homage to Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (딕테-차학경 오마주)

Director: Mi-young (미영)

Synopsis: Murdered Korean-American artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s life is the subject of this film, as her origins from the Korean War to her immigration to San Francisco to her death.

Fitting Room (피팅룸)

Fitting Room (피팅룸)

Director: Oh Jung-mi (오정미)

Synopsis: This 9 minute short portrays the relationship between a mother and her young daughter, how they argue and compromise, and bond through preparation.

Iron Age (철의 시대)

Iron Age (철의 시대)

Director: Jung Ji-yoon (정지윤)

Synopsis: Documentary Iron Age appears quite symbolic in nature as the film depicts a woman who has a hole in her heart. The film examines the nature of her personality.

Island in Island: More Oceans Inside, and More Islands Inside (섬 안의 섬, 그 안의 더 많은 바다, 그리고 그 안의 더 많은 섬들)

Island in Island: More Oceans Inside, and More Islands Inside (섬 안의 섬, 그 안의 더 많은 바다, 그리고 그 안의 더 많은 섬들)

Director: Kim Ji-yeong (김지영)

Synopsis: This experimental drama explores the concept of memory.

Mija (미자)

Mija (미자)

Director: Jeon Hyo-jeong (전효정)

Synopsis: A secret love with a foreign man is the subject of this drama, as a middle aged woman attempts to go abroad with her lover but encounters problems.

Mira’s Will (미라의 의지)

Mira’s Will (미라의 의지)

Director: Lee Eun-jeong (이은정)

Synopsis: A young woman named Mira decides to work on her sex appeal in order to finally succeed in getting her first kiss, but she takes things a little far.

The Room of Drink (살롱 드 보아)

The Room of Drink (살롱 드 보아)

Director: Sohn Hae-sook (손해숙)

Synopsis: Office worker Joo-hyun is forced to visit a hostess bar when her boss asks for documents, which forces her into an uncomfortable situation.

Sewing Woman (바느질 하는 여자)

Sewing Woman (바느질 하는 여자)

Director: Woo Jin (우진)

Synopsis: This 3 minute animated short is about a woman who never stops sewing. The aesthetics and stylisation look very interesting.

Festival News International Women's Film Festival in Seoul (서울국제여성영화제) Korean Festivals 2013

May 14, 2013January 31, 2015

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Sweet Temptation (잘 먹고 잘 사는 법) – ★★★★☆

Jeong-ho enjoys his diet of raw foods

At the 2013 Jeonju International Film Festival, Sweet Temptation (잘 먹고 잘 사는 법) had the distinction of walking away with the Grand Prize in the Korean Short Film Competition. It’s highly likely that the film will continue to do well on the festival circuit as director Jeong Han-Jin (정한진) has crafted a lovely tale about the bond between mother and son, and the role of food in maintaining and developing the relationship. Combined with the charming character study involving a young boy’s loyalty, as well as some very attractive cinematography, Sweet Temptation is an endearing and memorable short film. Jeong-ho lives alone with his mother and their bond grows ever stronger as they cultivate fruits and vegetables together, before returning home to prepare them for meals. Their life is seemingly idyllic, until a girl at school tempts Jeong-ho with an offer of chocolate. Conflicted between loyalty and desire, he must make a choice to decide what kind of person he wants to be.

Director Jeong wonderfully conveys the lives of Jeong-ho and his mother as they work on the allotments for produce. The vibrancy of the countryside articulates the happiness and warmth they feel when together as well as the satisfaction of eating the fruits and vegetables they’ve spent all day harvesting, which themselves are full of colour. The bright red tomatoes, pale green cucumbers, electric orange carrots and so on all combine to portray a high-spirited, and very healthy, satisfaction with their efforts. After such a heartwarming opening director Jeong then begins to slowly and gently peel back the layers from the seemingly idyllic lifestyle revealing it to be anything but simple. This subtlety is easily one of the greatest strengths of the film as Jeong-ho, while happy, is not content.

Han-jin is conflicted between being a good son and his desire for more

Jeong-ho is conflicted between being a good son and his desire for more

Jeong-ho’s school life is where Sweet Temptation really becomes a compelling film. In running around with other children and comparing food during lunch time, the young boy is actually somewhat of an outsider. Recognising this, a girl in his class takes pity on him and as they begin to forge a relationship Jeong-ho becomes ever more conflicted, as his new friend represents temptations that lead away from the teachings of his mother. The symbolic and innocent relationship is genuinely lovely and sincere, particularly as they attempt to educate each other on food. As such the ‘sweet temptation’ comes to mean not only the chocolate and promise of tasty meals, but also the desire for someone’s affection other than his mother, and watching Jeong-ho’s internal conflict unfold is a real highlight. The young actor portraying the character does an excellent job in conveying torn loyalties, and when placed in compromising situations his deeply sad and frustrated reactions are often palpable.

If there is criticism to be had, it comes in the form of the running time. Sweet Temptation is a consistently compelling short film, and director Jeong weaves some really interesting plot threads within the narrative that are never fully realised or explored. This is a real shame as these hints at a wider world and family history would undoubtedly be as equally fascinating with the director’s gentle stylisation. However, despite such drawbacks Sweet Temptation is a charming and endearing film and certainly warms the heart for a good deal after the final credits.

The bond between Han-jin and his single mother is wonderfully conveyed

Verdict:

Sweet Temptation won the Grand Prize at the 2013 Jeonju Film Festival in the Korean Short Film category, and not without good reason. Director Jeong Han-Jin has produced a lovely and endearing story about the bond between mother and son, and temptations that forge internal conflict in innocent minds. While plot threads are not capitalised on due to the short running time, Sweet Temptation remains a charming and heart-warming film.

★★★★☆

Festival News Green Film Festival in Seoul (제10회 서울환경영화제) Jeonju International Film Festival (제14회 전주국제영화제) Korean Festivals 2013 Reviews

May 11, 2013January 31, 2015

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Cats and Dogs (그 강아지 그 고양이) – ★★★☆☆

Cats and Dogs (그 강아지 그 고양이)

Proudly boasting to be Korea’s – and the world’s – first feature length film shot entirely with an iphone 4s, Cats and Dogs (그 강아지 그 고양이) could easily be a mere gimmick. Luckily however that’s not the case, as the film is a quite charming, albeit raw and cliched, romantic comedy. Aimed squarely at mid-teens to early twenties audiences, director Min Byung-Woo (민병우) explores the highs and lows in the relationship of a young couple in a light-hearted manner. While in a park, webtoon artist Koh Bo-eun (Son Min-ji (손민지) is suffering from depression following a break-up. When her anti-depressants accidently fall from her pocket, a wandering dog eats them and becomes sick, resulting in a race to the veterinarian. Following the treatment however, Bo-eun is forced to adopt the animal lest it will be put down. Meanwhile, walking in a different area of the park, illustrator Kang Woo-joo (Shin Myeong-geun (신명근) finds a cat abandoned and tied to a bench, and decides to adopt it despite his intention to leave. Due to their new animal friends, Bo-eun and Woo-joo meet everyday and are surprised to learn that they have unintentionally named their pets after each other, which sparks the beginning of a relationship.

The juxtaposition between the characters is very cute

Cats and Dogs is surprisingly technically sophisticated given the limitations imposed by iphone cameras. While initially the visual quality is more akin to a student film, such thoughts dissipate with time as the framing, editing, soundtrack and other such cinematic devices are competently employed in the construction of the rom-com. Of course, constraints are noticeable particularly in regards to establishing shots and camera movement, yet their absence does little to harm the narrative. Director Min, who also wrote the screenplay, wisely opts for an unambitious story to keep everything simple and this approach certainly helps in conveying the romance. Yet there are several moments when the lead protagonists are written into a corner, and the director employs the use of animated web-toons to bridge any narrative gaps. As Bo-eun and Woo-joo are web artists the sequences slot nicely into the film as well as continuing the tongue-in-cheek sensibilities that run throughout the film, in a heightened, postmodern fashion.

Fun animations are used to bridge scenes, and are quite charming

Cats and Dogs is first and foremost a romantic-comedy, and exploits all the ridiculous cliches that go hand-in-hand with the genre. This is a blessing in the sense that it is fun to witness such silliness and how the couple will fall for each other, and a curse for the very same reasons as it is extremely predictable from start to finish. It’s understandable however, given the sole use of the iphone camera. Director Min also seems to be aware of this, and aims the film at a younger – and arguably more accepting – demographic yet cheekily throws in some sexual suggestions to keep it slightly adult. As such the film grows and becomes quite charming as a result. Interestingly the narrative is just as concerned with the nature of breaking up as it is with creating a relationship, sneaking up on audiences amongst all the sugar-coated notions of romance which also forms part of the charisma.

As perhaps is to be expected, the performances are all over-the-top although the characters do become quite likable, particularly when they are compared to the animals they take care of. Shin Myeong-geun is arguably the most charismatic due to his comical and laid back nature, while Son Min-ji is colder and more distant. This is intentional however, and it’s good to see a Korean romantic story with genuine personality conflicts, as well as how they adapt to them. The supporting cast, meanwhile, are frankly awful and serve to drag the film down whenever they are on screen. Thankfully their appearances don’t last long, but the film still suffers from their presence.

Bo-eun and Woo-joo learn that the course of love is rarely smooth

Verdict:

Cats and Dogs is Korea’s – and the world’s – first feature length film shot entirely with iphone 4s cameras. Surprisingly the romantic-comedy isn’t as gimmicky as such a feature would have you believe, as the film is quite charming throughout despite the over-abundance of cliches. Director Min Byung-Woo wisely keeps things simple, although does attempt to explore personality clashes which is particularly refreshing when compared to other Korean rom-coms. Cats and Dogs is a cliched and limited, yet fun and silly, addition to the genre.

★★★☆☆