'KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL'..AT A GLANCE!

- Manoj Kulkarni

'Korean Foundation' organised '2nd Korean Film Festival' recently over at 'National Film Archive of India' in Pune. This two days short festival screened 6 films dealing with history, changing society & human values!

Films in this festival mostly came with the backdrop of (South-North) Korean War..started with film 'Welcome to Dongmakgol' (2005) which was based on long-running stage play! But serious film in it was 'The Front Line' (2011) directed by Jang Hoon who focused on the 1953 ceasefire of the Korean War. The way soldiers live & their emotions during war portrayed in it..Last scene of this film in which two soldiers from two sides talks to each other..which ends with the comment "Why are we fighting!"..was with human touch. This film was South Korea's entry for 'Oscar's 'Best Foreign Language Film'!


Then film 'The Suspect' (2013) was spy thriller; but linked with the same (South-North) issue. Stuntman turned filmmaker Won Shin-Yun directed this film was like action-packed drama! After this 'Kundo: Age of the Rampant' (2014) recollected (Japanese) samurai kind film genre. Yoon Jong-bin directed this period action-drama set in mid-19th century & centered on a militia group who turn against an unjust nobility! Fighting action sequences with martial arts in it also recollected the special effects from 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (2000) a film directed by Taiwanese renowned filmmaker Ang Lee!

And there was one mainstream kind commercial film in it..'The Thieves' (2012). Contemporary filmmaker Choi Dong-hoon made in this fiction thriller two (Hong Kong & Korean) groups of thieves rises tension with their activities to steal the diamond! In this multi-starrer movie popular artists appeared..like Lee Jung-jae, Jun Ji-hyun & Kim Yoon-seok!







This Korean Film Festival was short but well organised..in which officials from Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Mumbai..Consul Mr. KO Young-kun & Research Analyst Mr. Donguk Kim and Director of Culture & Education in Pune..Ms. Sunkyung Choo welcomed & looked after attendees warmly!


Hope their next festival will be big (more days) with more films..and focus should be on contemporary social life of Korea!

I wish all the best to them!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune, India]