“BORI” [나는보리] – PREVIEW [CLOSING GALA of London Korean Film Festival 2020]

WHEN the programme was announced for the London Korean Film Festival 2020, one title caught my eye. Although it didn’t grab me simply due to the appeal of the story, director or actors. it… No, it had caught my attention, again, you could say.

You see, I had already heard of this film – although not a surprise really as often there are films big and small at the annual LKFF which I’m familiar with – and although I hadn’t really read much, or anything about it, it was the trailer which had come to my attention essentially, and that alone resulted in it getting lodged in the back of my mind.

I was almost certain that the first time I had seen such a trailer for this film, “Bori” [나는보리] was in an email from KOFIC (Korean Film Council) – well, if it wasn’t that I thought maybe it was upon me, at some point checking the KOFIC/KoBiz website, but it wasn’t there either – the trailer isn’t there anyway, only details of the film itself.

I did search my emails but searching for “BORI” seemed to bring up a load of emails sitting in various mailboxes, with the word “BORIS”. Damn him!

Then I got to thinking, or racking my brains [well, one brain.. I’m not that abnormal] and realised it must have been from their KoreanFilmBiz KoBiz YouTube channel rather than their site. And… there it was, and indeed IS if you check that channel yourself… 😉

Yours truly is quite a fan of such films about family or quaint and quiet ones [Korean especially], and you could say that they don’t come much quieter than “Bori”. However, it wasn’t solely the genre or style but there’s something unique about it, as you’ll see from trailers for the film. I can only imagine, at this point, that “Bori” is a film in a similar style or quaintness to perhaps another of this year’s LKFF’s film’s, namely “Moving On” – a review of which can be found here on MMM: https://miniminimovie.com/2020/10/27/moving-on-남매의-여름밤-review-london-korean-film-festival-2020/

So, combined with already having wanted to catch this film and finding out it was [and “IS” if you’re reading this prior to the evening of Thursday 12th November 2020…!] actually playing at this years LKFF, I was quite a happy bunny*.

Alas though, what if it was in the line-up for the cinema screenings, as opposed to the online ones?** After all, I had pretty much decided that I won’t be going to any cinemas as part of this year’s London Korean Film Festival, due to the current state of the world and therefore the UK too – And this from a cineaste who, pre-March frequented a cinema once or twice a week!

This ‘what if’ fear was then enhanced when I noticed that “Bori” would be the Closing Gala film! I mean, such an important finale would be in a physical venue, a cinema, surely…?

As it turned out, there was no need for such fears. Why? Well, upon closer inspection of the LKFF website and helpful PLANNER/schedule, “Bori” was/is scheduled as an ‘ONLINE’ Closing Gala screening. This pleased me greatly – Yes, I don’t get out much, as the saying goes (but on the whole, who really does in these dreaded p-demic times!?)

So, with all that off MMM’s chest, here are the details from the LKFF guys:

The Closing Gala, playing on 12 November, will be the UK Premiere of Kim Jinyu’s Bori (2018), which also focuses on familial bonds, this time exploring the themes of disability and difference through the eyes of an eleven-year-old girl. As the only hearing member of a deaf family, young Bori notices the joyful signed communication between her parents and her younger brother. Struggling with feeling left out, Bori wishes that she too was deaf, and tries to achieve her goal with the help of her best friend, with sweet, humorous and moving results.

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In a small village that borders the ocean, 11-year-old Bori (Kim Ahsong) leads a modest but ordinary life. She and her younger brother eagerly anticipate the days that they can order Chinese noodles from the neighbourhood restaurant. She walks to school each morning with her best friend, and joins her father when he goes fishing. But in one respect her family is unusual: both her parents and her younger brother are deaf. In one sense, Bori is caught between two worlds. She idolises her parents, but as she struggles with the everyday insecurities and challenges of growing up, a feeling of isolation starts to overcome her. Based loosely on the director’s own experiences as the only hearing member of his family, Bori is a simply told but deeply felt story that will persist long in viewers’ memories.

BONUS INFO:

The film will be preceded by a greeting message from the cast and followed by a pre-recorded Q&A.

If this all isn’t wonderful news already, I can also announce (and MMM has had this on good authority) that there is a BRAND NEW TRAILER, and here it is:

*Any friends of mine, Korean or otherwise will know that this author’s surname in Hangul / Korean is “버니”, which is essentially “Bunny”!

** Those in the know, into Korean or Asian cinema, or have been over to KoreanFilm.co.uk lately OR better still, been elsewhere on MMM’s website [ㅋㅋㅋ], and seen articles like the one below, will have learnt that this year (its 15th year), for the first time ever the LKFF is going [or NOW] online, partially.

https://miniminimovie.com/2020/10/06/lkff-2020-its-happening-announcement-line-up-full-schedule/