San Sebastian announces South Korean retrospective

Selection to focus on golden era films of Fifties and Sixties

by Amber Wilkinson

The Housemaid directed by Kim Ki-young
The Housemaid directed by Kim Ki-young Photo: Courtesy of San Sebastian Film Festival

Editor's Note: It has now been announced that this retrospective has now been pushed back until 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic

The 68th edition of the San Sebastian Festival has announced it will dedicate a retrospective to the South Korean cinema of the Fifties and Sixties.

The season, Flowers In hell: The Golden Age Of Korean Cinema will feature more than 20 titles and is likely to prove popular after Bong Joon Ho's Parasite won the Best Picture Oscar this year.

Highlights include The Housemaid (1960) by Kim Ki-young, widely accepted as one of the masterpieces in the history of South Korean cinema along wiht chronicles of life in post-war South Korea such as Flower in Hell (1958) and the winner of the Jury Prize at the Berlin Festival, The Coachman (1961), which became the first South Korean film to land an award at an international film festival.

Other genres represented include film noir Black Hair (1964), horror vlick The Devil's Stairway (1964) and Manchurian western Farewell To The Duman River (1962)

The retrospective also recovers the work of the first two women directors - Park Nam-ok (The Widow, 1955) and Hong Eun-won (A Woman Judge, 1962), as well as the country’s first animated feature film, A Story of Hong Gil-dong (1967).

The Provisional List of titles is below:

  • Mimang-in (The Widow), Park Nam-ok (1955)
  • Jayubu-in (Madame Freedom), Han Hyung-mo (1956)
  • Jiokhwa (Flower in Hell), Shin Sang-ok (1958)
  • Yeosajang (A Female Boss), Han Hyung-mo (1959)
  • Obaltan (Aimless Bullet), Yu Hyun-mok (1960)
  • Hanyeo (The Housemaid), Kim Ki-young (1960)
  • Romance Papa, Shin Sang-ok (1960)
  • Mabu (The Coachman), Kang Dae-jin (1961)
  • Yeonsangun (Prince Yeonsan), Shin Sang-ok (1961)
  • Dumangang-a Jal Itgeora (Farewell To The Duman River), Im Kwon-taek (1962)
  • Yeopansa (A Woman Judge), Hong Eun-won (1962)
  • Kim Yaggug-ui Ttaldeul (The Daughters Of Kim’s Pharmacy), Yu Hyun-mok (1963)
  • Doraoji Anneun Haebyong (The Marines Who Never Returned), Lee Man-hee (1963)
  • Hyeolmaek (Bloodline), Kim Soo-yong (1963)
  • Geom-eunmeoli (Black Hair), Lee Man-hee (1964)
  • Ma-ui Gyedan (The Devil’s Stairway), Lee Man-hee (1964)
  • Man-bal-ui Cheong Chun (The Barefooted Young), Kim Kee-duk (1964)
  • Chunmong (The Empty Dream), Yu Hyun-mok (1965)
  • Sal-inma (A Bloodthirsty Killer), Lee Yong-min (1965)
  • Namgwabug (North And South), Kim Kee-duk (1965)
  • Gaetma-eul (The Seashore Village), Kim Soo-yong (1965)
  • Angae (Mist), Kim Soo-yong (1967)
  • Gwi-ro (Homebound), Lee Man-hee (1967)
  • Hong Gil-dong (A Story of Hong Gil-dong), Shin Dong-hun (1967)

Share this with others on...
News

Cousins discovers a kindred spirit Filmmaker on his Barns-Graham art doc in Karlovy Vary

Creating a spirited comedy Tomás Gómez Bustillo on faith, competitive piety and humour in Chronicles Of A Wandering Saint

Fragile yet beautiful Usman Riaz on creating animated magic in The Glassworker

Action woman Kelsey Egan on stars, stunts, world building and the 11 year journey of making The Fix

Star fixer who can 'make or break' a film Casting agent Francine Maisler reveals her secrets - from The Bikeriders to Succession

Why Soderbergh became hooked by Jaws Karlovy Vary guest reflects on Spielberg, Kafka and 'retirement'

More news and features

We're bringing you news, reviews and interviews from the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.



We're looking forward to the Fantasia International Film Festival.



We've recently covered Frameline48, Docs Ireland, Sheffield DocFest, the Tribeca Film Festival, the Muslim International Film Festival, Inside Out, Cannes, Fantaspoa, Queer East, Visions du Réel and New Directors/New Films.



Read our full for more.


Visit our festivals section.

Interact

More competitions coming soon.


DJDT

Versions

Time

Settings from settings.local

Headers

Request

SQL queries from 1 connection

Templates (11 rendered)

Cache calls from 2 backends

Signals