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“A Little Pond,” directed by Lee Saang Woo - Korea
July, 1950. The country is astir with the Korean War, but things in Ba-wui-gol, a small mountain village, go on as normal. Once in a while they hear news about the war through people who go into town. But, as the US army gets defeated and retreats south, the people of Ba-wui-gol are forced to evacuate and seek refuge. [A Little Pond], which is based on the Nogunri incident follows how ‘ignorant’ people who did not know anything about the realities of war were sacrificed. Rather than dealing this situation from a set ideological viewpoint, Lee captures the people as a whole, within a community in the big picture. Also, this film is the late Park Gwang-jung’s last film. It is another tribute to his final performance as an actor.
“In My End is My Beginning,” directed by Min Kyu-dong - Korea
When Jung-ha loses her husband in an accident, Naru, her husband’s secret lover, comes to her. Naru begs Jung-ha that she will do anything if only she will let her stay at her house. Jung-ha denies her at first, but eventually, their odd cohabiting begins. Short parts of In My End is My [Beginning] were introduced by the omnibus film, [Five Senses of Eros], as one of its episodes. But the feature length version of the film shows the ‘real end’ of the relationship driving into catastrophe. Uhm Jung-hwa and Kim Hyo-jin, the top actresses of the time, well expressed the extreme characters through their great performance. The two character’s entanglement with love and lust expand into a lesbian like relationship and leads to a new way of life at the end of the relationship.
“I Come with the Rain,” directed by Tran Anh Hung - France/U.S.
In Los Angeles, Kline (Josh Hartnett), a young ex-cop, is struggling with the psychological trauma of his last case: tracking down and slaying a serial killer. Turning to private detective work, Kline is hired by a rich Chinese businessman to fly to Asia on a mission to find Shitao (Kimura Takuya), his missing son. Kline finds out that the king of the Hong Kong mafia, Su Dongpo (Lee Byung Hun), is also searching for Shitao, because this vagrant, who has mysterious powers to cure the sick, took in a wounded Lili, the beautiful wife of Su Dongpo. Shot on state-of-the-art HD and featuring music by Radiohead and Gustavo Santaolalla [“Babel”], [“Brokeback Mountain”], this modern thriller plunges us into an exotic urban world of gritty realism and sensual beauty.
“I Am Love,” directed by Luca Guadagnino - Italy
Emma, from Russia, gets married into the rich, upper class Recchi family of Milano. On her father-in-law’s birthday, her son, Edoardo, and her husband, Tancredi, are both announced as co-heirs to the family fortune. As a crack begins to slowly form in the family, Emma starts to fall for her son’s friend, Antonio, who is a chef. The film shows the fall of a high class Italian family, and the passion and emotion that challenges the past and tradition with outstanding style. Suitable casting shows the ‘noble, rich people’ who pursue aristocratic lives and luxurious, extravagant images to capture their lifestyles are all breathtaking. As the wave of the lavishness and moderate double side of the family grows, the tension also heightens. Tilda Swinton’s starring performance is impeccable.
“The Fair Love,” directed by Sin Yeon-Shick - Korea
An unstoppable romance between an old bachelor in his 50s and a college girl in her 20s. Despite the twenty-six year age difference and the fact that he is dating his friend’s daughter, the old bachelor and the young woman become closer and closer. The 50 year-old bachelor even runs the 100m dash for the first time in twenty years to propose to his love. Director Shin Yeon-Shick takes what may seem like a very conventional melodrama and freely releases the drama of ‘fortuity’ and probes into the universal emotions of this era in a more comic way. Just as its title, [The Fair Love], it tries to tell how ‘fairness’ or ‘salvation’ can be introduced. Actors AHN Sung-ki and LEE Ha-na’s performances in their leading roles are outstanding. It is sure to be one of the most lovable films of the year.
“Chengdu, I Love You,” directed by Fruit Chan and Cui Jian - China
On May 12, 2008, an earthquake measuring 8.0 Richter scale hit Wenchuan. The earthquake left Chengdu in great damage. Over 70% of the famous historical sites were destroyed. The beauty of Chengdu never faded because of the earthquake. Zonbo Media invited three Asian directors to make this film. Through different styles and angles, the directors show kinship, love, and friendship and tell stories of the aftermath of the earthquake. Each director made a thirty-minute film which has all been combined into a feature film. This is a film full of love, joy, and surprise. By means of a film, the three directors from different territories in Asia shall, from their own perspective, tell the stories of Chengdu and record the feelings and emotions of those who were affected by the earthquake. That is the overall theme of the film, and it’s also a benefit film meant to comfort people.
[For more information including the line up from the festival’s other sections, visit their website.]
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