Tokyo: Special Screening- OLD PARTNER

[Jonathan M. Hall]

Dear KineJapanners,

Another film at the Press Club to announce.  We should call it a Korean film, but he film's producer, Yamagami-san, is one of the most important independent producers in Japan today.

Jonathan M Hall



Special Screening: "Old Partner"
Time: 2009 Dec 11 15:30 - 17:30
Summary:
SPECIAL SCREENING: OLD PARTNER
followed by a Q&A session with the film’s director, Chung-ryoul Lee, and producer, Tetsujiro Yamagami
FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 2009. 15:30-17:30 p.m. 20th floor
*please note afternoon time

South Korea, 2008. 77 minutes
In Korean, with English subtitles

Directed by Chung-ryoul Lee
Produced by Studio Nurimbo
Starring Won-kyun Choi, Sam-soon Lee
Film courtesy of Siglo, Ltd.

Language:
In Korean, with English subtitles

Description:
The Movie Committee is honored to present "Old Partner" ahead of its theatrical release in Japan on December 19.

Quite simply the most extraordinary film you will ever see about a man and his loyal ox, "Old Partner" took Korea by storm earlier this year, when the documentary attracted nearly 3 million admissions and earned a staggering $17 million during its theatrical run- making it the biggest documentary hit in Korea’s history.

Charming, heartbreaking and utterly universal, "Old Partner" tells the story of an elderly farmer, his energetic, wisecracking wife and their No. 1 farmhand, an aging ox who has shared their joys, sorrows and travails for the past 30 years. Evoking the gentle rhythms of the cycle of life, the film playfully and poetically depicts one of the most empathetic relationships ever seen on screen. As these three old souls fight on in their twilight years, "Old Partner" celebrates the never-say- die spirit that built modern Korea- and reminds us of what has been lost in the course of rapid growth.

You'll never react to the tinkling of a cowbell in the same way again.

Winner of the Best Documentary Award at the Pusan International Film Festival, and the Audience Award at the Seoul Independent Film Festival, the film was also invited to screen at Sundance, Sydney International Film Festival, AFI/ Discovery Channel Documentary Festival and Hot Docs International Documentary Festival.

This is the remarkable theatrical debut of director Chung- ryoul Lee, who has worked as a TV documentary producer for the past decade.

Producer Tetsujiro Yamagami is the founding president of Siglo, Ltd., and has produced over 60 feature films and documentaries, including award- winning titles by John Junkerman ("Japan's Peace Constitution"), Yoichi Higashi ("The River with No Bridge" and "Village of Dreams"), Makoto Sato ("Artists in Wonderland" and "Out of Place: Memories of Edward Said") and Ryosuke Hashiguchi ("Hush!" and "All Around Us").

If you would like to attend, please contact Karen Severns at kjs30 at gol.com
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