Festival (1996)
The Story
Acclaimed writer Lee Joon-seop (Im regular Ahn Sung-ki) has made his career out of retelling the stories of his extended family, especially of his mother (Han Eun-jin, a star of Korea films since the late 1930s). But literary celebrity, and the consumer wealth it brings has reshaped and distorted the relationships and social obligation within what would otherwise be his traditional Korean fishing village hometown. Mother is resilient (“Granma’s dead again”, a niece complains). But when she finally succumbs to dementia, writer Lee must come home, open his wallet, suppress the real grief, and fund the official, extended mourning party of family, friends, neighbours, colleagues, hangers-on, plus the whole thing of what a traditional Korean funeral now is in late 20th century South Korea. 4K restoration.
Presented with the support of the Australia-Korea Foundation. Co-presented with the Korean Film Archive (KOFA).
Chukje / Festival is preserved and digitally restored in 4K in 2022 by the Korean Film Archive KOFA.
Please note that Festival now replaces Mandala in our Im Kwon-taek season, originally advertised in some places.
“Through the motif of the funeral, the most extensively scaled ceremony in life, I have tried to explore the meaning of death and its effects shadowing the bereaved. I have also tried to bring to light the sentiments of the survivors: their sorrow, egoism, solemnity and even frivolity.” (Im Kwon-taek)
“… Im's documents and presents how… traditions are still with us in hidden and visible forms, assimilating with and accommodating of the contemporary in order to survive along with us.” (Adam Hartzell, Koreanfilm.org.)
Rating
Unclassified 15+
Duration
108 min
Language
Korean (English subtitles)
Cast
Ahn Sung-ki, Ahn Byeong-kyeong, Han Eun-ji, Oh Jeong-hae, Jeong Gyeong-sun, Park Seung-tae
Director
Im Kwon-Taek
