32 volumes of

애초에 주문할 때는 열 몇 권인 줄 알았는데. 택배로 도착한 의외로 큰 상자 안에는 총 32권의 <계간 독립영화>가 들어 있었다. 독립영화 웹스토어에 재고가 남아있는 모든 <계간독립영화>를 주문했기 때문이다. 그 중에는 창간호도 포함되어 있었다. 그 32권에는 조영각 씨가 꼬꼬마이던 시절, 우정태 씨가 막 부산 독협 일을 시작했던 시절, 이송희일이 이희일이던 시절이 담겨 있었다. 먼지 묻은 저 책들이야말로 앞으로 내가 함께 해나갈 역사일 것이다. 책꽂이를 새로 더 사야겠다.


While I just presumed that they perhaps would be 10 something volumes, it turned out that I order considerable amounts. In the big box, there are 32 volumes of in total, since I ordered all the books available at the Korean Indie Film Online Shop. The first volume is even included. In those books, all the trivial but sufficient history of Korean indie film is existing, for example, the rookie interviewer Cho Young-gak, current chief executive of Seoul Independent Film Festival, newly appeared youngster Lee Hee-il, director of not presenting his name with dual family name, Lee Song Hee-ril yet etc.. Those books covered with dust will be the history being due to accompany with me for the future. I should get new book selves.

New 'to-do list' - matter of Space in Korean indie cinema now

(샘터분식(Samteo Snack Bar) dir. Tae Jun-sik, 2009)

In Korean Indie Film realm, 'Space' has become an important issue lately and they require some tool to analyze what these films are participating on the discourse. Because usually it has been told how desperate and miserable for the residents of the rural area are, aside from the politics of the way of representation. That is mainly focusing on societal exclusion. However, at this time in Korea, when a dream of Construction State promoted by the government is whaling over the country, some other points also should be suggested. It could be modernity as a historical factor and labor as a (personal) lifetime history narrative.

One of my friend sent me a list of 'things fo read' to research the matter in a basis of sociology. Truly wonderful. We're going to have something like a seminar with this. Supposedly, more 'outraged' documentaries will come out this spring's "Indie Documentary Film Festival". This research should be totally helpful.

I should wrap up the other issue on 'working poor twenties in Korean indie films' as soon as possible(pretty doubtful, though...).

Lovers(2009) - Kim Do-yeon

http://siff.or.kr/eng/program/short_view.html?mov_idx=796&gubun=2

Today's a new years day and I have no idea why this film hit my head. I'm right here in my chill room alone, just surfing the internet without any purpose. I think I happened to consider 'what was the no.1 film for me in 2009?' or sort of things. I took '2009 Seoul Independent Film Festival catalog' away and flipped it, not looking through any of the pages. And this film just came from my brain. Perhaps it's because this film is about desire, so to speak, the fate or the destiny of desire.

This film is about (hopeless) old gay man. But this film expands the subject to 'how much we should be desperate to get what we desire' and 'how uncertain and hostile the object of desire always is'. And it's not just about the homosexual. His boyfriend, Ho Yeong also had a 'girl friend', which the protagonist didn't know(he would have known but ignored it). After Ho Yeong disappeared without a notice, these two, the girl and the protagonist, got confused and happened to share the same feeling.

This film's Korean title has a different meaning from the English translated one. It means 'Love Story'. It's like "Let me tell you my love story." It sounds so 'trivial' that it doesn't suitable to cover this 'shocking'(for some Korean audience) story. But that's the way it is. That's the way every 'Love Story' is supposed to be;Truly sincere for somebody but not for the others, and totally heartbreaking at some time but for nothing afterwards.

The atmosphere of this film is elegant and worth to see. Invited to Clermont-Ferrand Shorts Festival.

SIFF(Seoul Independant Film Festival) Winners

Grand winner
Earth's Women
dir. Woo-jung Kwon / 2009 / Documentary / Color / HD / 95 min.

the First Prize
Border City 2
dir. Hyung-sook Hong / 2009 / Documentary / Color / DV/ 104min

the Second Prize
Don't step out of the house
dir. Sung-hee Jo / 2008 / Fiction/ Color / HD / 43min

Award for a maverick(독불장군상)
Border City 2
dir. Hyung-sook Hong / 2009 / Documentary / Color / DV/ 104min

Audience Award
Turn it up to 11
dir. Seung-hwa Baek / 2009 / Documentary / Color / DV / 94 min

Special Mention
Cuban Boyfriend
dir. Ho-hyun Joung / 2009 / Documentary / Color / beta DV / 72 min

Take Place
dir. Yong-seok Park / 2009/ Experimental / Color / HD / 17 min