The 74th Berlin International Film Festival opened on February 15, 2024. This year, six Korean films were invited, including director Hong Sang-soo’s 31st feature, “The Traveler’s Need,” and “Crime City 4,” starring Ma Dong-seok and Kim Moo-yeol. Introducing Korean films selected by the Berlin Film Festival.
Exhuma
movie 〈Exhumation〉was invited to the forum section, which showcases works with challenging and original colors. Director Jang Jae-hyeon, who directed 〈Black Priests〉,’s new film 〈Graveyard〉 is an occult mystery film that tells the story of strange events that happen to a geomancer, undertaker, and shaman who received a large amount of money to relocate a suspicious tomb. It is scheduled for domestic release on February 22nd. Expectations are rising for the performance of actors with solid acting skills, including Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, Yoo Hae-jin, and Lee Do-hyun.
A traveler’s needs
Director Hong Sang-soo’s new work 〈Traveler’s Needs〉was invited to the main competition section. With this, Hong Sang-soo became the director to receive a love call from Berlin for the fifth consecutive year. “A Traveler’s Need” tells the story of a woman from France teaching French to two Koreans. French actresses Isabelle Huppert, Lee Hye-young, Kwon Hae-hyo, Jo Yoon-hee, Ha Seong-guk, and Kim Seung-yoon appear and give excellent performances. Attention is also being paid to whether director Hong Sang-soo, who has a close relationship with the Berlin International Film Festival, will receive an award.
Circle
Short animation directed by Jeong Yu-mi
THE ROUNDUP: PUNISHMENT
Is Ma Dong-seok’s heart-pounding action acting applicable to Berlin? 〈Crime City 4〉was the first Korean film series to be invited to the Berlinale Special Gala section. 〈Crime City 4〉 is the directorial debut of martial arts director Heo Myung-haeng, and stars Ma Dong-seok, Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Dong-hwi, and Park Ji-hwan. The ‘Crime City 4’ team will begin the official schedule of the Berlin Film Festival with a photo call and press conference on February 23rd. Lead actors Ma Dong-seok, Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Dong-hwi, Park Ji-hwan, and director Heo Myung-haeng are scheduled to walk the red carpet.
It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay! (IT′S OKAY!)
Released as world premiere at the 2023 Busan International Film Festival 〈It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay!〉was invited to the Generation K Plus competition section. The Generation K Plus section, which has a slightly unfamiliar name, is a section that invites adult films rated for general audiences that deal with the lives of children and teenagers. 〈It’s Okay, It’s Okay!〉 is the debut feature film of director Kim Hye-young, who directed 〈Melodious Constitution〉, and stars Lee Re, Jin Seo-yeon, Jeong Soo-bin, Son Seok-gu, and Lee Jeong-ha.
The Voices of the Silenced
Documentary co-produced between Korea and Japan 〈Reviving Voice〉was invited to the forum special section. The Special Forum section introduces a variety of works that reflect on film, social and artistic discourse, and aesthetics. Directed by mother and daughter directors Park Ma and Park Soo-nam, second-generation Korean residents in Japan, “Resurrected Voices” is a work that contains vivid interviews with Koreans who were forced into labor, including comfort women for the Japanese military during the Japanese colonial period, victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs.
