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The film world descended on Potsdamer Platz for the 66th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival this month. Fans thronged the Berlinale Palast theater to glimpse their favorite stars walking the red carpet while film professionals from all around the world converged on the Martin-Gropius-Bau and Marriott Hotel for this year’s European Film Market (EFM).

 

Ever since KANG Dae-jin’s Silver Bear prize for A Coachman in 1961, Korean films have been a significant presence at the Berlin Film Festival. Other Korean cinema luminaries recognized over the years include JANG Sun-woo (The Avatamska Sutra, 1993), KIM Ki-duk (Samaritan Girl, 2004) and brothers PARK Chan-wook and PARK Chan-kyong (Night Fishing, 2010). As with previous years, Korea was very visible at the market and also fielded a smaller-than-usual but strong lineup of new films which screened at the festival, though 2016 marked the third year on the trot that no Korean film featured in the main competition.

 

Marking the fourth year on the trot that a Korean film has picked up a prize in Berlin, LEE Dong-ha’s WEEKENDS earned the 3rd place Panorama Audience Award in the Panorama Dokumente 2016 section. This win follows a Golden Bear for Best Short last year (NA Young-kil’s Hosanna), a Crystal Bear for Best Short in Generation (YOON Ga-eun’s Sprout) and NETPAC Prizes (Kelvin Kyung Kun PARK’s A Dream of Iron and JUNG Yoon-suk’s Non Fiction Diary) in 2014 and a Special Mention from Generation 14plus (SHIN Su-won’s PLUTO) and Special Prize from Generation Kplus (KIM Jung-in’s Cheong) in 2013.

 

This year, a trio of Korean films was officially invited to the festival, including E J-yong’s The Bacchus Lady and LEE Dong-ha’s WEEKENDS, to the Panorama program, and YOON Ga-eun’s The World of Us in Generation. Uniting the films were their cross sections of characters not usually represented in Korean cinema. From the elderly prostitute of The Bacchus Lady, the ten-year-old protagonists of The World of Us, to the gay chorus in WEEKENDS, these films provided new voices for the disenfranchised and marginalized in a country that is experiencing rapid social change.

 

 

 

Returning to Berlin for the fifth time, following Untold Scandal (2003), Dasepo Naughty Girls (2006), The Actresses (2009) and Behind the Camera (2013), versatile Director E J-yong explores yet a new mix of themes and genres with The Bacchus Lady. Featuring veteran star YOUN Yuh-jung as a senior citizen surviving as a low-rent prostitute for lonely old men in Central Seoul who eventually becomes an angel of death when she helps these men escape the ignominy of their lives, the film tackles a variety of major talking points in contemporary Korean society. Many of seniors in Korea, a country without a proper social welfare infrastructure, live below the poverty line and E also examines the fate of transsexuals, the handicapped, mixed-race children born to Korean sex tourists or American servicemen and much more in a narrative that is just as challenging as it is pertinent for today’s Korean society.

 

E, YOUN and co-star YOON Kye-sang were present for the film’s premiere on February 12th at the Cinemaxx Theater. The screening was attended by around 600 viewers and many fans who sought the autographs of actors YOUN and YOON following the screening. Reactions were strong for The Bacchus Lady, as the film garnered a number of positive write-ups and favorable mentions on social media. In their review, The Upcoming praised the film for its display of ‘tremendous warmth and wit’, while French website Film de Culte reserved particular praise for YOUN. Viewers took to twitter to call the film a ‘must-see’ and a ‘scathing portrayal of (sic) lack of social care, tempered by wit.’ Following the three-year intervals between all his previous invites, perhaps we can look forward to what director E will cook up for the 69th Berlinale in 2019.

 

Marking her second trip to Berlinale was YOON Ga-eun, who triumphed in Germany in 2014 when her critically-acclaimed short Sprout picked up the Crystal Bear for the Best Short in the Generation section. Like her previous films, which also include the short Guest (2011), The World of Us fixates on the lives and trials of young girls, filmed with YOON’s uniquely sensitive approach. In The World of Us, elementary school girls experience friendship, betrayal and numerous social pressures as their relationships quickly develop over a few weeks in summer. YOON was accompanied in Berlin by her lead actress, new performer CHOI Soo-in. Around 800 spectators crowded the Zoo Palast theater for the film’s world premiere and many of the film’s younger spectators appreciated the film for presenting relatable themes.

 

Screen Daily called the film a ‘captivating debut feature’, describing it as ‘delicately paced and absorbing throughout.’ Meanwhile the shomingekiblog website described the film as being made with the ‘wisdom of an old master’.

 

Recording his first appearance at the event was LEE Dong-ha with his documentary WEEKENDS. It was a triumphant debut for LEE, as the film was awarded the 3rd place Panorama Audience Award Panorama Dokumente 2016. The non-fiction story follows his time with the G-Voice chorus, the first gay choir in Korea, examining the manifold difficulties which the gay community still experiences in Korea. In the film, the group prepares for their special 10th anniversary concert and LEE combines behind the scenes footage of the band with music video-style sequences of them performing as a band.

 

Though release dates have yet to be fixed, all three films are expected to debut in Korea in the coming months while future festival appearances can also be anticipated. So far, The Bacchus Lady has been confirmed as a gala presentation at next month’s Hong Kong International Film Festival, where it will have its Asian premiere. Looking at the success of previous titles which have screened in Berlinale, surely we can expect all three titles to experience healthy festival runs over the coming months.