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MGFF at NYAFF Program 3: MGFF Favorites
as selected by BONG Joon-ho, KIM Jee-woon, RYU Seung-wan, JANG Joon-hwan, E J-Yong, and PARK Chan-wook. (95min)

Presented with the generous support of the Korean Cultural Service New York
Showtimes: WED June 27, 6:45pm at the IFC Center [Buy Tickets].
1. A TALENTED BOY, LEE JUN SEOP
Dir. SHIN Jane / 2001 / 16mm / color / 22min / English Subtitle

* Winner of “King of Comedy – From Chaplin to Steven Chow” category in 2002

The only winner of an MGFF Grand Prix! A loopy, sci fi fantasy about a kid who can eat anything. And we mean anything. Prepare to feel ill.

Once there was a boy named Joon-Sup Lee, who was the least liked boy in his class. With no true talents, the only thing that made him stand out from his peers was his ability to eat anything. One day he thought up of a brilliant idea to eat various school supplies in order to gain his classmates attention. With this talent under his belt, his spirits ran sky-high and he couldn't wait to show off his new eating ability. Unfortunately, he didn't know that a faltering dilemma would await him.

Recommended by Bong Joon-Ho (The Host):
“This film is the brilliant mixture of an eccentric imagination, an insight into human nature and superb filmic expression. The film's sense of humor is implicitly spread within the weird structure of frames within frames, which I had never heard of or seen in the area of short films.”

2. ADOLESCENCE
Dir. JAE Chang-Gyu / 2002 / 35mm / color / 17min / English Subtitle

* Winner of “The Extreme Nightmare – World of Horror & Fantasy” category in 2002

A glittering, black and white movie about amputation and puberty. Kim Ji-Woon immediately hired the cinematographer of this short (LEE Mo-Gae) to shoot his feature film, A Tale of Two Sisters.

Recommended by Kim Ji-Woon (A Bittersweet Life):
“The pupils of the girl's eyes are shaking on the black & white screen, and it shakes my heart. The background seems dry in a way, but effectively expresses the depth of the space. Exquisite cinematography!”

FUN FACTS: The director KIM Jee-Woon found his best collaborator through this film - cinematographer, LEE Mo-Gae. Fascinated by the cinematography of this film, KIM virtually picked up LEE, and they work together in <A Tale of Two Sisters>. <A Tale of Two Sisters> was LEE’s feature film debut, and it earned him Cinematography Award at Busan Film Critics Association Award in 2003.
LEE Mo-Gae’s filmography includes films such as <The Last Wolf> (2004, KOO Ja-Hong), <When Spring Comes> (2004, RYOO Jang-Ha), <April Snow> (2005, HUH Jin-Ho), <Traces of Love> (2006, KIM Dae-Seung). KIM and LEE are now collaborating again in KIM’s film in production, <The Good, The Bad, The Weird>.
3. MEMORIES OF OLDBOY
Dir. KIM Min-Suk / 2004 / DV 6mm / color / 18min 20sec / English Subtitle

* Winner of “The 4000 Blows – Action and Thrillers on the Mean Streets” category in 2004
* This short film is included on the DVD of Oldboy at the insistence of director Park Chan-Wook.
Kyu-Nam is an ex-convict who was imprisoned for killing four high-school students accidentally. Even after he is released from prison, his daily life is still filled with repeated violence and crimes. The only person who talks to him is a mysterious man in black. One day, Kyu-Nam, who firmly believes that he killed five people, finds the knife that he used to kill someone for the first time, and falls into the memories of murder. And, when he finally realizes that the first person he killed is himself, Kyu-Nam finds himself dying from the knife he brandished.

Recommended by Ryu Seung-Wan (The City of Violence):
“It is almost incredible to find such talent in the area of short films. It is an impressive and dense combination of action and psychological thriller.”
4. ABOUT A BAD BOY
Dir. PARK Shin-Woo / 2005 / 35mm / color / 9min 30sec / English Subtitle

* Winner of MGFF Jury Special Award in 2005
Genre Category: “The Extreme Nightmare - World of Horror & Fantasy”

A deep, dark little freak-out set in an interrogation room.

Recommended by Jang Joon-Hwan (Save the Green Planet):
“Incredible performance of the actors, dense editing, strong suspense, and an ending that defies the audience's expectation! This movie shows you what a short film can achieve in such a tight running time. You will leave the theater with your heart pounding.”
5. HOW TO OPERATE A POLAROID CAMERA
Dir. KIM Jong-Kwan / 2004 / DV 6mm / color / 6min 20sec /English Subtitle
* Winner of MGFF Jury Special Award in 2004
Genre Category: “A Short Film About Love – Focus on Relationships”

Short and sweet, it's a love story revolving around taking a polaroid snapshot.

Recommended by E J-Yong (Dasepo Naughty Girls):
“Technology, point of view and the real charm of a short film are put into one piece of work. This is a masterpiece of Mise-en-scène!”
6. The Freaking Family
Dir. PARK Soo-Young, PARK Jae-Young / 2005 / 35mm / color / 21min 30sec / English Subtitle
* Winner of MGFF Jury Special Award in 2005
Genre Category: “The Extreme Nightmare - World of Horror & Fantasy”

Nuclear missiles are going to hit Seoul. Cue the complete dissolution of a middle class family.

Recommended by Park Chan-Wook (I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK):
“Imagination without limit meets expression without self-censorship! This film blows away the fixed ideas of the audience, and defies social taboos.”