His Girl Friday : Ha JW & Jeon Kye Soo’s Choice

 

 

Jan 20 2009, Korea Times

Top Cineastes to Grace Art Film Fest

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

That special time of the year has come around, when South Korea’s top filmmakers and actors turn into film festival programmers. The 4th Cinematheque Friends Film Festival will take place Jan. 29-March 1 in Seoul, and director Park Chan-wook and some 20 other cineastes will meet with the audience to show and discuss 26 movies they have personally selected. . . . .

Director Jeon Kye-soo (“Midnight Ballad for Ghost Theater”) and heartthrob Ha Jung-woo (“The Chaser”) will join the audience for “His Girl Friday” (1940), Feb. 20. Jeon said he chose the movie because his upcoming project starring Ha is also a romantic comedy. “When romantic comedies started to appear in the sound film era, `His Girl Friday’ presented something new and fresh. It is heavy with dialogue and takes place in a limited space, but it has an exciting tempo,” he said, adding that the film might inspire him for his own work. “I also wanted to show Ha Jung-woo, Cary Grant,” he said. . . . .

Also featured in the festival is “Mouchette” (1967) by Robert Bresson. “Cinema Angels” ― actors Lee Na-young, Kim Joo-hyuk, Shin Ha-kyun, Jung Jae-young, Ha Jung-woo, Park Hae-il and Kim Kang-woo ― have donated funds to purchase the film for the cinematheque. . . . .

Festivalgoers will also be able to see an exhibition of photos taken by some 30 cineastes, including directors Im Kwon-taek, Park Chan-wook and Im Soon-rye and actors Ha Jung-woo and Ryu Seung-bum.

Many non-English language films are offered with English subtitles. Tickets cost 6,000 won for adults, 5,000 won for teenagers and 4,000 won for senior citizens and the physically disabled. Admissions for the opening ceremony is 10,000 won (including the after party). . . . .