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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

KCN: Korean Cinema to Invade Berlin and Rotterdam (12/13-12/19, 2012)

Numerous festival announcements this week as Korean films pick up more prizes at international film festivals and a number of prestigious events gorge on Korean cinema.

In addition to everything below, a few more fresh festival selections lacking full writeups:

Jiseul, Sleepless Night, The Russian Novel and Sunshine Boys heading to the Rotterdam International

Behind the Camera and Jury to officially take part in Berlin's Panorama section


KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Berlin Invites Pluto to Generation Section
Next February’s Berlin International Film Festival is taking shape as a major discovery grounds for Korean cinema as a fourth Korean film has been invited to the prestigious event. Shin Su-won’s Pluto, one of the most talked about films at this year’s Busan International Film Festival, will have its international premiere during Berlin’s Generation programme. (KoBiz, December 18, 2012)

Gay Cinema Flourishes Gay Rights Stagnate
With the explosion of queer cinema and TV over the last 15 years, one would think that Korea is a liberal paradise for LGBT. From the ground breaking horror Memento Mori (1999) which saw two, wicked lesbian school girls stalking their school corridors to satisfy their lust for blood, the depiction since then of LGBT has only looked up. (Word From the ROK, December 17, 2012)

Kim Ki-duk Picks Up Best Director at Dubai Film Festival
The 9th Dubai International Film Festival came to a close yesterday in the Middle East after screening 158 films over 8 days. As the awards were handed out, a Korean favorite from this year’s festival circuit was once again honored with a major accolade. Kim Ki-duk’s Pieta, which has been burning a huge trail on the international film festival scene ever since it picked up a historic Golden Win during September’s Venice International Film Festival, was awarded the Best Director Prize. (KoBiz, December 17, 2012)

Hong Sangsoo’s Latest to Compete in Berlin International Film Festival
Hong Sangsoo’s new film Nobody’s Daughter Haewon, scheduled to be released in February 2013, has been invited to the official competition section of the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival. HONG was invited to the same section in 2008 with Night and Day. His other films Woman On The Beach and The Day A Pig Fell Into A Well were invited to the Panorama section in 2007 and the Forum section in 1997 respectively. (KoBiz, December 14, 2012)

France’s 'Point Blank' Getting South Korean Makeover
In addition to a rumored Mark Wahlberg produced Hollywood treatment, French crime actioner Point Blank will also soon be remade for the South Korean audience. (The Hollywood Reporter, December 13, 2012)

Cinemanila Takes a Shine to Juvenile Offender
Kang Yi-kwan’s Juvenile Offender has won the top prize at the Cinemanila International Film Festival as well as the Best Actor accolade for its young lead SEO Young-ju. The festival, which ran from December 5th to 11th, awarded its Lino Brocka Grand Prize to the realist drama. (KoBiz, December 13, 2012)

Korean Films Get Controversial
Silenced (2011) a.k.a. “Dogani” is based on the novel by Kong Ji-young—horrible real events of sexual abuse at a school for hearing-impaired children, which attempted to raise public awareness about the 2005 case and to be critical of the Korean legal systems. Pulling in more than 4 million admissions, the film prompted a national outcry in Korea and the citizens signed a petition for a retrial of the case. (Asian Movie Pulse, December 13, 2012)

Terror Cult: Korean Ghost Stories
Devon Ashby introduces you to the extremely gory, yet surprisingly contemplative supernatural tales of terror from Korea.Supernatural horror is a subgenre that flourishes more or less worldwide, probably because such films are easily able to channel multiple sources of unease and discomfort simultaneously. A solid ghost story can provide as many opportunities for extreme violence and gore as a vintage slasher or knockoff straight-to-streaming torture porn, but with the added attraction of at least ostensible suspense, chills, and psychological intrigue. (Crave Online, December 13, 2012)

Arthouse Cinema Versus Gangnam Style
M. Lý-Eliot finds respite from Gangnam style 'sexy ladies' in two central characters of The Weight, a challenging film by Korean arthouse director Jeon Kyu-Hwan. (The F-Word, December 12, 2012)

Kyung-hyun Kim’s Virtual Hallyu: More Approachable Than 'Remasculinization', but Still Tough Going
On Planet Deleuze, a world in a parallel universe inhabited by hyper-intelligent philosophers, psychoanalysts and cultural studies scholars, Kyung-hyun Kim’s second book on Korean film will be voraciously devoured, as no doubt his previous book was. Back on Planet Earth, what does it have to say to mere mortals? (London Korean Links, December 12, 2012)


INTERVIEWS

Queen of Romance Returns in Disaster Flick
Since her debut in 2000, actress Son Ye-jin’s forte has been romantic dramas. Though she’s done a few comedies (The Art of Seduction, My Wife Got Married) and a thriller (White Night), some of her most memorable roles are still the beautiful-yet-tragic heroines of her box-office-hit tearjerkers. (The Korea Herald, December 17, 2012)

Kim Ah Joong Was Attracted to My PS Partner Because It Was About Phone Sex and Not Letters
Kim Ah Joong showed her name was still a strong one in the box office. After hitting a big success with the film 200 Pounds Beauty (2006), she had to leave the Korean box office for a while due to sudden personal difficulties. Despite her hiatus, she succeeds in filling the entire 114 minutes of her new film with her beautiful and lovely charms. She even showed off the vocal skills she had unleashed in her previous pieces, blazing bright with her determination toward the film. (enwsworld, December 16, 2012)


TRAILERS

A Boy's Sister

B.E.D

Nobody's Daughter Haewon (Berlin Poster)

Pororo

In Berlin (Teaser Poster)

The Gangster Shaman

The Last Stand (Korean Poster)


BOX OFFICE


(Modern Korean Cinema, December 17, 2012)


Korean Cinema News is a weekly feature which provides wide-ranging news coverage on Korean cinema, including but not limited to: features; festival news; interviews; industry news; trailers; posters; and box office. It appears every Wednesday morning (Korean Standard Time) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update and the Weekly Korean ReviewsReviews and features on Korean film also appear regularly on the site. 

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