ACF 989: The Urge for Survival: Kaneto Shindo retrospective starts today at BAM

Photo courtesy of Kindai Eiga Kyokai Co., Ltd.

New York - Tokyo has announced that the national tour of the much anticipated Kaneto Shindo retrospective will kick off at BAMcinématek in Brooklyn starting today. From April 22 to May 5, BAMcinématek and actor Benicio Del Toro, in partnership with agnès B and the Japan Foundation, will present The Urge for Survival: Kaneto Shindo.

This 11-film touring retrospective of the Japanese director and screenwriter's diverse and fascinating oeuvre. Features include the North American premiere of Shindo's newest film, Postcard and a week-long runs of new 35mm prints of Children of Hiroshima (in its US theatrical premiere) and The Naked Island. Del Toro and Jiro Shindo, the director's son, will appear in person on April 22. For more details & ticket info, click here.

First a screenwriter, then an apprentice to Mizoguchi, Kaneto Shindo has since built one of the most richly diverse portfolios in Japanese film history—from humanistic docu-dramas and expressionistic ghost stories to erotic tales of sex. On the occasion of Shindo’s 99th birthday on April 22nd and the North American premiere of his newest (and self-declared last) film Postcard, longtime fan Benicio Del Toro will present some of the director’s finest work.

ACF 706: Final screening of BESTSELLER at BAM as part of NYKFF 2010

Bestseller
Written and directed by Lee Jeong-ho
With Uhm Jung-hwa, Ryoo Seung-yong, Lee Do-Yeong
South Korea, 2010, 117 min.
NYKFF screenings mark film's New York Premiere
Final Screening: BAM Rose Cinema
Friday, October 1, 2010 @ 9:15 PM

Already shown twice at MoMA, this Friday's screening at BAM marks the third and final showing of the terrific mystery/thriller/horror tour de force at the New York Korean Film Festival 2010. For full info about the festival's complete lineup and schdule, click here.

Summary:
After suffering a breakdown, a successful writer rents a house in the countryside for herself and her young daughter. The daughter soon befriends a talkative "presence" in the house, and regales her mother with this new friend's stories. But when the mother starts writing the stories down, bad things begin to happen.

ACF mini-review:
Although it's not my favorite genre, I really enjoyed this film. The female writer has to deal with charges of plagiarism. In the course of trying to write a new book in a large villa near a rural town, she starts losing her mind while getting visions of a horrible incident that took place there years ago. The use of rapid fire editing at certain times really ups the anxiety ante. It's a gripping thriller with fantastic plot twists, and the entire cast is top rate. (Most fortunately there are no young girls with long straight black hair falling down in front of their faces, a cliche that has long ago lost its appeal.)

ACF Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars, highly recommended.

ACF 688: New York Korean Film Festival starts tomorrow, September 22nd!!!!

Image from The Housemaid, directed by Im Sang-soo

In my previous posts about the Yeonghwa film series at MoMA, which is co-presented by The Korea Society, I forgot to mention that it actually is the beginning of the return of the New York Korean Film festival for its ninth year. Furthermore, the screenings at MoMA will be followed by some at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). Details and links follow:

The New York Korean Film Festival (NYKFF) is the foremost North American festival dedicated to showcasing the work of both mainstream and independent Korean cinema. Since its inception in 2001, NYKFF has established its own unique identity as a prestigious event on the world film circuit. Not only does the festival screen contemporary films, it also features panel discussions with directors and other leading figures in the world of Korean cinema.

This year, NYKFF audiences will be able to view some of the best of contemporary Korean cinema from September 22-30 at MoMa and October 1-3 at Bam Rose Cinema. Ranging from action to comedy, sci-fi to horror, to genre-bending altogether, this year's films represent not only Korea's top box-office hits but also some of the industry's most creative and substantial movies to date.

All films will be shown in the original Korean with English subtitles.

For my post with the full screening schedule at MoMA, click here.

For The Korea Society's website about New York Korean Film Festival, click here.