Buddha knows, it’s been a while!
- It has been a while since the Korean Cultural Centre, London / UK (KCCUK) have had regular [FREE…!] FILM NIGHTS!
- It’s been an even longer while since I’ve attended a screening there, and that includes the annual London Korean Film Festival (LKFF), which in essence is run by the guys at the KCCUK.
I believe the last screenings I went to were SAVE THE GREEN PLANET, with an introduction by Tony Rayns and SINGLES, complete with a fact-filled intro by Mr Paul Quinn (aka Mr http://www.HangulCelluloid.com).
That is if you don’t count or include my OWN screening gracing the walls of the KCCUK just a couple of weeks ago. I had been commissioned to film an event there, edit it and then produce a version for screens within the KCC. A couple of versions here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_jg__2S8ZNcOxU1Q2BG1tQ
(In fact, why not Subscribe – I need just a few more to obtain a proper channel name!)
Reasons for not having attended screenings can be found HERE. Yep, I’ve been a tremendously busy man, even if at times I’m juggling too much and feeling like I am NOT achieving a lot!
Being back on UK soil in these sad, cold times has filled me with a little depression but also a new lease of life or reinvented love of film! January and the first couple of weeks of Feb have seen me… errrr… see films a plenty. Hollywood, or at least mostly English speaking ones, that is. Why the change or sudden urge? I’ve got my suspicions but I won’t go into that on here!
Any regular, longtime or general dip-in-and-out readers, or indeed friends, may know that what got me into Korean films was way back, yes several years ago, maybe 7 years almost…? But more importantly, ironically, aptly and relevantly I have the KCCUK and it’s screenings to thank, in quite a big way.
Whether the fortnightly and rather random films – a mixture of old and new there were, as well as a mix of genres – or the themed events and seasons, I was there as much as possible. Then begun the commencement on my [still yet to be completed] Korean documentary.
Perhaps I’m reliving this recent past by seeing all these movies of late, but being a new year and having a pretty intriguing season coming – READ ON! – I’m extra excited now!
There is an added reason for the interest in this new season [unintentional rhyme!] as its curator is a certain Dr Colette Balmain.
I’m not saying this because she, along with yours truly and a handful of others is a co-founder of our London Asian Film Society [incidentally, so is the aforementioned Mr Quinn of @HangulCelluloid] but because of her taste, knowledge and enthusiasm for the genre, amongst other worldly interests.
Anyway, on with the show, or maybe that should be screening/s, and here’s the blurb from the KCCUK & LKFF guys and websites of theirs, followed by further detail, some info about other venues, and trailers for all 6 films, from Dr Balmain’s own website:
What first follows is from LKFF / KCCUK:
Korean Film Nights returns!
#1 Chills and Thrills: South Korean Horror Films
For 2017, the Korean Film Nights has been divided into three distinct mini-seasons with six films each. And during each season, the screenings will take place weekly – every Thursday evening.
Also, for 2017 we have invited guest programmers to offer their selections for each season, and we are very pleased to announce that the first season has been programmed by Dr Colette Balmain, a Senior Lecturer in Film, TV and Media at Kingston University. Her research interests are East Asian cinemas and cultures, particularly Korean Cinema on which she has published extensively.
16 February, 7pm
Princess Aurora 오로라 공주 (Pang Eun-jin: 2005)
23 February, 7pm
The Red Shoes 분홍신: 18세 버전 (Kim Yong-gyun: 2005)
2 March, 7pm
A Blood Pledge 여고괴담5: 동반자살 (Lee Jong-yong: 2009)
9 March, 7pm
Horror Stories 무서운 이야기 (Kim Gok, et al.: 2012)
16 March, 7pm
Mourning Grave 소녀괴담 (Oh In-chun, 2014)
23 March, 7pm
Fatal Intuition 그놈이다 (Yun Jun-hyeong, 2015)
All screenings take place at the Korean Cultural Centre UK. Free admission, booking essential.
And the following is from Ms Balmain’s website,
http://www.OrientalNightmares.wordpress.com
Chills and Thrills: Korean Film Nights
Starting from the 16th February, Korean Film Nights begins the first in three mini-seasons that comprise of a year long screening programme. Each season will showcase six films, many of which are being screened for the first time in the UK.
I am delighted to have had the opportunity to curate the first mini-season: ‘Chills and Thrills: Korean Horror Cinema.’
In 2016, South Korean Horror Cinema went global with the critical and commercial success of The Wailing (Na Hong-jin), Train to Busan ( Yeon Sang-ho) and The Handmaiden (Park Chan-wook). With this mini-season, I wanted to showcase the breadth and depth of South Korean horror. As such, the films chosen act as a primer for both genre enthusiasts and cinephiles.
From a desperate mother whose loss of her daughter is unbearable and can only be assuaged by killing those responsible, to a pair of high-end shoes whose surface beauty hides a deadly secret, a suicide pact between young high-school girls which is not quite what it seems, a sadistic serial killer who forces his victim to tell him scary stories, a young boy whose life is blighted by the fact that he can see ghosts , and an adolescent girl whose life is brutally cut short, these films show the rich tapestry of K-horror.
Each film will have an introduction. Film critic Anton Bitel will be introducing Mourning Grave and Horror Stories.
The programme is as follows:
16th February: Princess Aurora (Pang Eun-jin: 2005)
23rd February: The Red Shoes (Kim Yong-gyun: 2005)
2nd March: A Blood Pledge (Lee Jong-yong: 2009)
9th March: Horror Stories (Kim Gok et al: 2012)
16th March: Mourning Grave (Oh In-chun: 2014)
23rd March: Fatal Intuition (Yun Jun-hyeong: 2015)
There will also be additional screenings in the Echoes programme including a screening at Deptford Cinema on Saturday 25th February 2017.
In addition, I will be giving a talk on ‘School Horror’ at New Malden Library on the 21st of February between 6pm and 7pm. Tickets are free and can be booked at the following link: Talk at New Malden Library
Mr (& Dr) Anton Bitel (mentioned above) is certainly worth checking out too. Not only does he write for quite a few esteemed publications, Dr Bitel also has this site of his own:
http://www.ProjectedFigures.com
NEWSFLASH! A little horror-bird has told me that some of the film introduction information may now be incorrect… but on the plus side, I’ve also been advised of a couple of other speakers / introducers – I’ll update you as & when I can!
That is all. CUT! In more ways than one!
MiNi MiNi MOViE - REViEWS, NEWS & iNTERViEWS 