Berlinale 2014: Overview - Strong Korean Lineup in Berlin

Part of MKC's coverage of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival and the 18th Busan International Film Festival.

By Pierce Conran

Long recognized as one of the bastions of independent and foreign cinema, the Berlin International Film Festival, also known as the Berlinale, will kick off its 64th edition later today. Korean cinema has become an increasingly prominent fixture at the event and in recent years has featured in Berlinale lineups with anywhere up to a dozen titles. This year there will be seven Korean films on show, one short and six features, which is a little below average. Yet, in this writer's opinion, it is also one of Korea's strongest lineups to feature at the fest.

Most prominent among the selections will be a gala presentation of Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer. The film has already screened in France and a few Asian countries but has yet to make its way to English-language territories as the film remains in editing limbo due to a standoff between Bong and The Weinstein Company.

Also getting a gala presentation will be Gina Kim's Final Recipe, a Korea-Singapore-Thailand co-production from CJ Entertainment that will serve as the opening film of the Culinary section.

Two films will be having their world premieres. One is Kelvin Kyung Kun Park's documentary A Dream of Iron and the other is Night Flight, the new feature from LeeSong Hee-il, Korea's most acclaimed queer filmmaker. Both filmmakers have previously visited Berlin with features.

The remaining three films all premiered at the Busan International Film Festival last October. KNN Movie Award and FIPRESCI Prize-winner 10 Minutes, the debut of Lee Yong-seung will screen along with Jung Yoon-suk's debut documentary Non-Fiction Diary, the Mecenat award winner at BIFF, in the Forum section. Lastly, Yoon Ga-eun delightful short Sprout, recipient of a Sonje Award Special Mention at BIFF, will screen in the Generation Kplus section.

Though not present, MKC will be providing coverage of the Korean films at this year's Berlinale over the coming days.

Panorama

Night Flight

Forum

10 Minutes

A Dream of Iron

Non-Fiction Diary

Snowpiercer

Culinary

Final Recipe

Generation Kplus

Sprout

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