Saturday, April 22, 2006

If You Were Me 2 is a series of 5 Korean shorts, commissioned by the South Korea's National Commission on Human Rights. Wow, if only any such local group have the money to do that, then there will be more opportunities for local film-makers. Ok, stop gripping ...

Seaside Flower follows the life of Eun-hye, an elementary-school-aged girl with Down's syndrome. Her single mother does her best to bring her up. The girl has to cope with her bullying (normal) peers, and she has an imaginary friend. The young actress has actual Down's syndrome, the very classic look, so it is very easy to identify and sympathise her plight. The film did end on a little bright note, as the girl is happy in her own little world.

Hey Man! has got to be my favourite. The audience laughed their heads off over a drunken man in a restaurant, who manages to piss off all his friends and make enemies with many others, he contradicts himself with his various prejudices, over social status, homosexuality, opposite sex, etc. The lesson of the film is to be careful of saying who you dislike ... and don't drink in public if you are a motormouth ... You can't help but pity and love the protagonist.
A Boy With The Knapsack is a little confusing because, when it began with the escape of the girl, it ended with the death of the boy. A film about the plight of illegal North Korean refugees working in South Korea, who work hard to send stuff home, and want to go home someday. They feel constant bullying at work, and have to cope with loneliness at night. The great escape sequence was sad and funny, the black and white shots made it even more sorrowful.
Someone Grateful started with the torturing of a student activist, and ended with a look at the discrimination of contract workers. The ending was quite unexpected, and totally charming. The torturing room was quite a sight to behold, which made the eventual turnabout seem like a farce, when the interrogator advised the victim what to do when tortured ... the black white chess game, and how it was used to turn the chief around, was a master stroke!
Jongno, Winter is a documentary about Chinese-Korean immigrants in South Korea. As a documentary I wished it had been longer, with more angles to the topic, and more conflict between oppressors and victims. From the local (as in South Korean) point of view I understood why this docu was placed as the final short, as it has the most direct impact to the South Korean audience; as an international audience, I did not think this docu stand out, I would had preferred the second or fourth film to wrap the series.
Just like last week's If You Were Me: Anima Vision, there are many social issues that are ripe for discussion, and thus filmed. Besides watching and understanding, it is hoped that we can bring some of these thoughts with us when we leave the film, and really, spare a thought about so many people around us, who are less fortunate, or, who deserves better treatment and care from fellow citizens, and friends.

♥ 11:09 pm