Festival Im Kwon taek

Im Kwon-taek IM Kwon-Taek has made nearly 100 films. His work spans over forty years of Korean cinema, starting in 1962 near the middle of what is considered "The Golden Age of Korean Cinema." When Im's Mandala (1981) won the grand prix at the 1981 Hawaii Film Festival, Im became the first Korean director on the festival circuit in Europe. Chunhyang (2000) was the first Korean film to be invited to Cannes and was Korea's official selection for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. In 2002, Im received the film world's highest honor, the prix de la mise en scene (best director award) at Cannes for Chihwaseon. Im isn't representative of all that is Korean film, but he is largely responsible for the present success of Korean film

Festival (1996) Directed byIm Kwon-taek Produced byLee Tae-won Written byYook Sang-Hyo Starring Ahn Sung-ki Han Eun-jin Music byKim Su-chol CinematographyPark Seung-bae

Director statement "In a sense, the life we enjoy now is the result of how our ancestors have lived. The generations before us leave their legacy to the following generations - parents to their children, teachers to their students, and seniors to their juniors. Even a person who seems to lead an independent life is strongly influenced by his ancestors. I see the entire process as tremendously beautiful and sincerely dream to show the viewers of my movie the true sense of this ongoing phenomenon.

Director statement A funeral serves as the starting point for this movie. The funeral is for a warm-hearted eighty seven year-old lady who had strived to help those in need throughout her life. Through the motif of the funeral, the most extensively scaled ceremony in life, I have tried to explore the meaning of death and its effects shadowing the bereaved. I have also tried to bring to light the sentiments of the survivors: their sorrow, egoism, solemnity and even frivolity. I want to give the viewers who see this film a moment to think about what is truly valuable and precious in our quickly changing world. At this moment, I consider this goal my duty as a director.

Synopsis A famous writer, Lee Jun-seop, returns to his hometown to attend his mother's funeral. Lee's illegitimate niece, who has been ostracized from the family, has also returned home for the funeral. While the funeral ceremonies take place, various old family conflicts reassert themselves. During the action of the story, a parallel children's story written by Lee is read by the illegitimate niece. The story describes a grandmother who gives her life force to her growing granddaughter, resulting in the grandmother becoming gradually younger until she reverts back into an infant and finally leaves for the next world.

During the 2000 Inter-Korean Summit, North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il specifically mentioned Festival along with Im Kwon-taek's Chunhyang (2000) as models of the type of cinematic works on which the two Koreas could work together Best Film, Blue Dragon Film Awards