The 43rd Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF43) and the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) jointly present the “Centenary of Korean Cinema” programme with the screening of 10 all-time classics and critically acclaimed new films from South Korea, as well as a series of masterclasses, introductions and post-screening talks.
LEE Chang-dong, master filmmaker of the multi-award winning BURNING (2018), will be in attendance as a special guest along with KOFIC Chairman OH Seok-geun. LEE will hold a masterclass after the screening of his restored classic, PEPPERMINT CANDY (1999). His co-writer in Burning, OH Jung-mi, will also share her insights with LEE in the post-screening discussion of their latest film.
Sharing the limelight are HONG Sang-soo and BONG Joon-ho, both creating international buzz with their remarkable works. From THE DAY A PIG FELL INTO THE WELL (1996) to his latest film HOTEL BY THE RIVER (2018), HONG’s experimental spirit and distinctive style have continuously amazed audiences. BONG made his mark with his sophomore MEMORIES OF MURDER (2003), a subversive mystery thriller that established his fame as a genre bending master.
Three legendary trail-blazing directors – SHIN Sang-ok, KIM Ki-young and IM Kwon-taek – kick-started contemporary Korean cinema’s golden age from the sixties to the eighties. SHIN’s MY MOTHER AND HER GUEST (1961), KIM’s IEODO (1977), and IM’s MANDALA (1981) were representative of the diversity of Korean cinema and laid the foundation for the industry’s phenomenal push into the international arena.
INNOCENT WITNESS (2019), the latest drama from director LEE Han, and OUR BODY (2018), the debut feature from director HAN Ka-ram, demonstrate how the new generation of filmmakers continue to reach new frontiers with a bright future for Korean cinema. HAN will also be in Hong Kong to greet the audience.
PEPPERMINT CANDY, IEODO, MANDALA and MEMORIES OF MURDER will all be screened in their recently restored versions.
Film list for screenings:
- SHIN Sang-ok: My Mother and Her Guest (1961)
- KIM Ki-young: Ieodo (1977)
- IM Kwon-taek: Mandala (1981)
- HONG Sang-soo: The Day a Pig Fell into the Well (1996)
- LEE Chang-dong: Peppermint Candy (1999)
- BONG Joon-ho: Memories of Murder (2003)
- HAN Ka-ram: Our Body (2018)
- HONG Sang-soo: Hotel by the River (2018)
- LEE Chang-dong: Burning (2018)
- LEE Han: Innocent Witness (2019)