north-korean-films &laquo; WordPress.com Tag Feed http://wordpress.com/tag/north-korean-films/ Feed of posts on WordPress.com tagged "north-korean-films" Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:04:01 +0000 http://wordpress.com/tags/ en <![CDATA["Crossing" - a New Film about Life in NK]]> http://leonidpetrov.wordpress.com/?p=124 Sat, 31 May 2008 15:45:33 +0000 Leonid Petrov http://leonidpetrov.wordpress.com/?p=124 영화 '크로싱' 포스터

There have been no accurate films about life in the DPRK With the contentious exception of "The Person Who Remains in My Heart" (1989) and "A Schoolgirl's Diary" (2006) the North Koreans themselves prefer not to produce anything close to reality. The South Korean filmmakers do not exactly know what happens inside the borders of their northern neighbour and always risk misrepresenting the reality, limiting themselves to comedies and spy thrillers. Foreign producers and directors simply are not interested.
It now looks like what we have been waiting for has finally arrived. The new film "Crossing" by director Kim Tae-gyun is an attempt to depict the daily life in North Korea (with focus on poverty, starvation, concentration camps) and the dangers of escape route via China and Mongolia. The Korean-American producer, Patrick Choi, tried with this film to help the world understand the plight of North Koreans suffering from the human rights abuse.
Based on the real story, this film shows a 10-year-old boy who, after all sufferings, decided to cross the border, failed to storm a Western embassy in Beijing, and tragically died in the Mongolian desert on his way to freedom. "Cry with us!" calls the film poster. The lives and emotions of the characters are all true and touching. But were the realities of life in North Korea depicted correctly? Go to the cinema and watch the film to find the answer. See promotional trails and posters here http://www.crossing2008.co.kr/
LP
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A Film All Koreans Must See
 
by Peter M. Beck, Weekly Chosun/Korea Herald (30 May 2008)
...Though it did not win any awards at the Cannes Film Festival last week, "The Crossing" is simply the best film ever made—documentary or otherwise—about the plight of North Koreans.  I had the good fortune of watching an advance screening of the film as part of North Korea Freedom Week in Washington, D.C.  Attendance was not as strong as I had hoped, but there was hardly a dry eye in the theater and one defector could not stop sobbing after the film ended.
What makes "The Crossing" so powerful is not just that it is a tear-jerker, but that it gets almost every detail right.  From the joys and hardships faced by the average North Korean and the unspeakable horrors that take place in the notorious gulags (suyongso) to the perils of crossing into China and Mongolia as well as the difficulty of resettlement in the South, the movie is incredibly realistic.  In fact, the director's biggest concern was getting the conditions right.  To that end, he met with more than 100 defectors.  The only scene where a few of us have questioned the accuracy is when Cha is able to turn on a light in the middle of the night in what might be Hoeryeong... 
See the full text of the review by Peter Beck here. 
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탈북자 다룬 영화 ‘크로싱’-워싱턴서 첫 시사회

Crossing (2008)By 김영권 The Voice of America (04/24/2008)
탈북자 문제를 본격적으로 다룬 한국의 첫 상업영화 ‘크로싱’이 오는 28일 이 곳 워싱턴에서 처음으로 시사회를 갖습니다. 이 영화를 직접 구상하고 제작한 패트릭 최 씨는 ‘미국의 소리’방송과의 인터뷰에서, 북한의 심각한 인권 문제가 핵과 동등하게 세계인들에 알려지길 희망해 영화 제작과 시사회를 결정했다고 말했습니다. 오는 26일부터 워싱턴에서 열리는 제 5회 북한자유주간 행사의 일환으로 열리는 이번 시사회에 관해 김영권 기자가 알아봤습니다.
탈북자들의 실제 이야기를 재구성한 한국 영화 ‘크로싱’ 이 오는 28일 워싱턴에서 첫 선을 보입니다. 제 5회 북한자유주간을 주최하는 북한자유연합의 남신우 부의장은 23일 ‘미국의 소리’ 방송과의 전화 인터뷰에서 ‘크로싱’ 시사회 일정이 28일로 최종 확정됐다고 말했습니다.
“우리가 하는 행사의 기본이 북한 인권과 탈북자이니까 이 영화가 전체적으로 개봉하기 전에 시사회를 할 수 있고, 또 미국의 기자들에게 보여줘서 북한자유주간의 일부분으로 기여할 수 있다는 데 큰 의미가 있다고 봅니다.” 한국의 인기배우 차인표가 주연을 맡은 영화 ‘크로싱’은 병든 아내를 고칠 약과 배고픔에 지친 가족들의 식량을 구하기 위해 중국으로 탈북한 한 남성이 어린 아들과 엇갈린 만남을 반복하며 겪는 탈북자들의 가슴 아픈 이야기를 중국, 몽골 현지 촬영을 통해 매우 사실적으로 그리고 있습니다.
28일 미국 의회도서관과 워싱턴 시내 한 문화공간 (Ebenezers Coffeehouse)에서 두 차례 열릴 이번 시사회에는 영화의 프로듀서와 작가가 직접 참석해 마지막 시사회 뒤 기자회견을 가질 예정입니다. 4~5년 여 전부터 이 영화를 직접 구상하고 제작을 주도한 미주 한인 프로듀어 패트릭 최 씨는 23일 ‘미국의 소리’ 방송과의 전화 인터뷰에서, 북한 인권에 대한 실상을 세계인들과 나누고 싶어 영화를 제작하게 됐다고 말했습니다.
“미국 뿐아니라 전세계에, 물론 한국 사람들도 마찬가지겠지만 북한에 대해서 지금 핵 문제에 대해서만 많은 사람들이 알고 있는데 그 밖에도 인권 문제도 똑 같은 중요성을 갖고 많은 사람들이 알았으면 좋겠습니다.” 최 씨는 북한 인권 문제의 실상을 사실적으로 다룬 만큼 개봉 전에 미국 내 주요 인사들에게 이 영화를 먼저 소개하고 싶었다고 말했습니다.
이 영화를 연출한 김태균 감독은 최근 일반에 공개한 영상 편지에서 영화감독으로서 꼭 만들어야만 하는 영화가 있다며, ‘크로싱’ 이 바로 그런 영화라고 말했습니다. “10년 정도 된 것 같아요. 탈북자들. 또 북한의 식량난 때문에 거리를 떠돌아 다니는 꽃제비들을 촬영한 영상이 있었는데 너무너무 가까운 곳에서 그런 일이 벌어지고 있다는 것에 대해서 너무 가슴 아프고 내가 살아있다는 것 자체가 너무 부끄러워지는 생각이 들었었어요. 그 기억이 제가 이 영화를 시작하게 된 첫 동기일지도 몰라요.” 김 감독은 이 영화를 통해 특히 남북한이 한 핏줄, 한 가족임을 느끼게 되길 소망한다고 덧붙였습니다.
프로듀서 패트릭 최 씨는 4년 여의 영화 제작기간 동안 재정 문제 등 여러 어려움이 있었지만 그 때마다 북한주민을 사랑하는 투자가들이 나타나 고비를 넘겼다며, 덕분에 영화가 잘 만들어졌다고 말했습니다. “잘 나왔다고 생각합니다. (웃음.) 여러가지 힘든 과정들이 있었고, 또 우리가 여러 탈북자들을 인터뷰했었고, 정확한 정보를 갖고 영화를 만드려고 노력했고, 결과는 우리가 만들려고 했던 영화가 나온 것 같습니다.”
영화 ‘크로싱’은 5월 중순 세계적인 프랑스 칸느영화제에 별도로 마련된 영화출품시장에서 구매자들에게 첫 선을 보인 뒤 6월 5일 한국에서 개봉될 예정입니다.
See promotional trails and posters here http://www.crossing2008.co.kr/main/main.asp
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]]> <![CDATA[Retrospective Screening of North Korean Films in Australia]]> http://leonidpetrov.wordpress.com/?p=89 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:21:27 +0000 Leonid Petrov http://leonidpetrov.wordpress.com/?p=89 6-8 May 2008 from 6 to 8 PM,
in Room G051, Melville Hall,
Australian National University,
Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia

Anyone interested in contemporary North Korea is warmly invited to attend a unique series of retrospective film screenings by Dr. Leonid Petrov. Please note that the films shown have no subtitles, but will be preceded by an explanatory synopsis in English. Complete synopses of the movies are available here.

Dr. Leonid Petrov (RSPAS, ANU), who has been studying and teaching North Korearelated subjects for many years, will provide a brief introduction and lead the discussion. Dr. Petrov is currently working on the projects “Historical Conflict and Reconciliation in East Asia” (ANU-ARC) and “North-South Interfaces on the Korean Peninsula” (French CNRS-EHESS).

THE DESTINY OF KŬMHŬI AND ŬNHŬITUESDAY 6 MAY: THE DESTINY OF KŬMHŬI AND ŬNHŬI [금희와 은희의 운명]
(1974, Dir. by Pak Hak and Ŏm Kilsŏn, 101 min. No subtitles; synopsis in English)
Room G051, Melville Hall: 18:00 - 20:00
One of the classics of North Korean cinematography, this film emulates the best examples of Soviet and Chinese film making traditions. The story is based on the famous novel by Paek Injun about two twins separated by the Korean War.

THE DESTINY OF KŬMHŬI AND ŬNHŬI

Having lost contact with each other, the sisters live in the very different societies separated by civil and ideological conflict. Kŭmhŭi lives a happy and comfortable life in North Korea, where she can see her talent for singing and dancing fulfilled. Her sister, Ŭnhŭi, on the contrary, is destined to suffer in the South, surrounded by social evils and class inequality. This film laments the national division and claims the superiority of the socialist system.The film wonderfully portrays the grim reality of everyday life shortly after the Korean War.

Our Fragrance

WEDNESDAY 7 MAY: OUR FRAGRANCE [우리의 향기]
(2003, Dir. by Chŏn Chongp’al, 85 min. No subtitles; synopsis in English)
Room G051, Melville Hall: 18:00 - 20:00
This film reflects the early changes and nascent conflicts that emerged in North Korean society after the introduction of market-oriented reforms in July 2002. Foreign cultural influences, growing materialism and consumerism are believed to create obstacles for the advancement of Korean-style socialism.

Pyŏngho, a researcher-scientist who develops new types of the traditional dish kimch'i, comes from a conservative family. He tries to preserve and incorporate the traditional values into modern life. A young guide-interpreter, Saebyŏl, who works for an international travel company, is overly accustomed to the lifestyle influenced by foreign traditions. The two meet at the fashion show in Pyongyang, where their participation becomes a major trial to both them and their families.

THURSDAY 8 MAY: THE SCHOOLGIRL’S DIARY [한녀학행의 일기]
(2006, Dir. by Chang Inhak, 93 min. No subtitles; synopsis in English)
Room G051, Melville Hall: 18:00 - 20:00

One of the most recent films produced in North Korea, The Schoolgirl’s Diary immediately hit the box-office record locally, won a prize at the 2006 International Pyongyang Film Festival, and even found its way overseas. The film chronicles a girl's life throughout her school years, full of mundane problems such as peer pressure and concerns over money.

The main character, Suryŏn, is preparing to make a major decision on what to do with her life after school. She analyses her childhood and questions her parents’ difficult life. Suryŏn’s family lives in a rundown country house, her mother is suffering from cancer, and her father is a workaholic who spends days and nights at the factory working on a scientific project. Tensions at home and school translate into depression and disenchantment with her parents. However, one day Suryŏn comes to realise her selfishness and immaturity.

LP

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