Hunger, thirst, anxiety, a struggle to save a man’s life and the craft of drinking urine are the highlights of Kim Seong-hun’s new film Tunnel. Previously known for his action-packed film Hard Day, the film director has decided to put his next protagonist in a collapsed tunnel, just to make his life more depressing. It all…
Tag: Asian Cinema
In Conversation with Lee Dong-eun, director of ‘In Between Seasons’
Lee Dong-eun started his career path as a student of economics and journalism who – like many others – had an idea for a story and a dream to become a filmmaker; unlike many others, he managed to make his dream into reality through hard work and by being unafraid to take the long road: “In Between…
The 21st Busan International Film Festival: In Between Seasons
Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is divided into several sections; among these, the international competition “New Currents” section holds the most importance for the new and emerging Asian directors; each year, only the select promising directors with their first or at most second features can take part in the competition to win the prestigious New Currents…
The 21st Busan International Film Festival: The Age of Shadows
Kim Jee-woon is a natural-born filmmaker who, with his alluring script-writing, has never been afraid to tackle a new film genre. With eight feature films and six shorts under his belt, he has already gone down in film history as one of the most influential Korean directors. Kim Jee-woon had no formal training in filmmaking; he…
The 21st Busan International Film Festival: Highlights of the Opening Night
The 21st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has finally kicked off with Zhang Lu’s A Quiet Dream; ahead of the opening night, there was a press conference for the film which was attended by the film director Lu himself, Yang Ik-june (an actor and a director, known for his independent film productions) and Lee Joo-young; on…
The 60th BFI London Film Festival: Creepy Review
Kiyoshi Kurosawa – a Japanese horror maestro – attracted critics’ attention with his 1997 Cure, a horror film in the purest sense of the word, with an ability to unsettle the audience that was a second to none; Cure also got recognition from various international film festivals and has become one of the most haunting Japanese motion…
The 60th BFI London Film Festival: The Handmaiden Review
The South Korean film director Park Chan-wook has always been an exceptional writer of seductive and pulsating narratives, like Oldboy, Lady Vengeance and Thirst, to name just a few. His newest production, The Handmaiden, is yet another enchanting piece of writing. It is also a fascinating interpretation of the Welsh novel Fingersmith, written by Sarah Walters; while…
The 60th BFI London Film Festival: The Wailing Review
Na Hong-jin is – in every respect – the maharishi of thriller; when his previous films The Chaser (2008) and The Yellow Sea (2010) were released in Korea and Europe, they put critics and film goers at the edge of their seats, proving that his sophisticated writing and directing is one of a kind. The audience had to wait six…
Train to Busan Review
Zombie film is a “genre that just won’t die,” someone once said. It all started in the early thirties when Hollywood was beginning to try out “iconic-monster” films, and within a short period of time, the first feature-length “walking-dead” movie was presented to the audience: director Victor Halperin’s inexpensively made White Zombie (1932). Since then, zombie…
London Korean Film Festival 2016- Teaser Screening: The Himalayas
Someone once said that “There is something about the Himalayas not possessed by the Alps, something unseen and unknown, a charm that pervades every hour spent among them, a mystery intriguing and disturbing. Confronted by them, a man loses his grasp of ordinary things, perceiving himself as immortal, an entity capable of outdistancing all changes,…
Insane (날,보러와요) Review
South Korea has been facing the increasing number of mental illnesses, caused by various factors such as suicide, divorce, addiction, as well as expeditious development of technology; for that reason, various mental institutions have increased their facilities where people – willingly, or unwillingly, and some in secret – admit themselves to get help with their…
In Conversation with Ravi V. Patel and Geeta V.Patel
“The funniest doc I’ve seen in years and a sure-fire Oscar contender,” exclaimed Scott Feinberg from The Hollywood Reporter when he was asked about Meet the Patels. Without a doubt, it is a humorous and charming film, which definitely breaks certain stereotypes concerning Indian traditional process of the arranged marriage; it also shows that their arranged marriage is…
London Korean Film Festival 2016- Teaser Screening: The Throne
There hasn’t been a single moment when I was left disappointed by Lee Joon-ik’s work; every one of his films is truly exceptional. Well-known for his period drama films and still associated with his 2005 King and The Clown – which brought him an international recognition – Lee Joon-ik cleverly balances historical events with a real…
In Conversation with Rosalina Leigh
Rosalina Leigh is an ambitious young actress who gained recognition among the indie film goers with her role in Benson Lee’s Seoul Searching. Since this was her first acting role, this must have been a nerve-wrecking experience for Rosalina. Prior to filming, she recorded a casting YouTube video – it was seen by Benson Lee, who later…
