Captivating Culture at the 2017 Korea Film Festival

Experience iconic cinema, creative talent, and a world of captivating art beginning on March 23 through March 31. The program will feature a multitude of events that showcase an alluring Korean cultural universe.

Art exhibitions, dance recitals, decorative crafts and more will all be made available to the public, but the true essence of the event revolves around the best contemporary cinema from South Korea: 43 titles will be shown, ranging from shorts and documentaries to feature films. Special guests include the globally renowned director Chan-wook Park, best known for his 2003 thriller “Oldboy.”

Park Chan-wook will be honored throughout the festival in recognition of his leading contribution to the transformation of Korean cinema. Friday, March 24 at 10 am is the Italian premiere of his newest movie “The Handmaiden,” a drama that has already received awards and international praise. This will be followed by a ceremony where Chan-wook will be given the keys to the city.

A retrospective will also be held in homage to his artistic career, with 13 of his films to be screened throughout the week. Park Chan-wook weaves harrowing narratives of plight with the common thread of violence, teasing the delicate boundaries of the human psyche.

The entries are divided into four categories: “Korean Horizons” which honors the major box office hits and critically acclaimed Korean movies; “Independent Korea” focuses on young and upcoming directorial talents; “Horror Night” where fans of the grisly genre can find thorough entertainment, and “Short, Short,” which will showcase various short films of recent years.

Highlights include “The Age of Shadows,” an action thriller selected to represent Korea at the Oscars in 2017, which will open the festival in the presence of director Kim Jee-woon; the comedy “Lucky Key,” the story of an unfortunate identity theft, and (specifically for the zombie fans) “Train to Busan” by Yeon Sang-ho and his animated prequel “Seoul Station,” which give a fresh take on the familiar horror tale.

A new addition this year is the K-Woman section of film, focusing on the role of women in Korean film. Five titles have been selected to explore the presence of the female figure on the big screen, with works that range from documentaries to thrillers.

Five titles have been selected to explore the presence of the female figure on the big screen, with works that range from documentaries to thrillers. “Mrs. B. A North Korean Woman ” portrays the real story of a North Korean woman fled to China, who turns to drug trafficking to earn a living and help distant family, while “The Truth Beneath” heightens tension when a politician’s daughter goes missing 15 days before the national elections.

“Korean Film” may be the name of the festival, but watching cinema is not the only activity to attend. Artist Suh Gong will exhibit 35 seventeenth century style paintings to Florence at Palazzo Bastogi in recognition of the Year of the Rooster (inauguration Thursday, March 23 at 6 pm, free admission, open from Monday to Friday from 10 am – 12 noon and from 3 to 7 pm).  “Estrangement” at Le Murate will feature a range of photography, video installations, paintings and sculptures by several Korean artists (free entry, open until April 29 from Tuesday to Saturday 2:30 – 7:30 pm).

The festival concludes on Saturday, March 31 at 8:30 pm with a show at the Teatro Verdi: a performance of dance and music under the auspices of The Institute of Korean Traditional Culture (admission €5).  (carson cecil)