
Park Chan-wook was among the first Korean filmmakers to make an impact in the West with Oldboy. But before that, he enjoyed a box office smash at home with this compelling drama from 2000. Gunfire in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea leaves two North Korean soldiers dead while a South Korean soldier flees to safety. With the peace between the two nations on a knife-edge, Major Sophie Jean must determine what happened.
Before iconic films like Oldboy and his most recent Decision to Leave, Park Chan-wook made this, lesser-known, but equally brilliant film. The story is structured in the form of a whodunnit, but it manages to deliver so much more than a simple murder mystery. The film explores themes of brotherhood, loyalty, nationalism, all within this fascinating and complicated setting. The performances are so nuanced and well-crafted, the direction is masterful, and the climax is as devastating as it is thrilling. If you are a fan of Korean cinema and Park Chan-wook, this is a must-watch.
Anthony Shim
September 30 & October 8: Introduced by Leading Lights guest programmer Anthony Shim
Supported by
Lee Yeong-ae, Lee Byung-hun, Song Kang-ho, Kim Tae-Woo, shin Ha-kyun
South Korea
2000
Leading Lights
In Korean with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Credits
Producer
Eun Soo Lee, Myeong-chan Park
Screenwriter
Jeong Seong-san
Cinematography
Sung-Bok Kim
Editor
Kim Sang-beom
Original Music
Jun-seok Bang, Jo Yeong-wook
Director

Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook has had two films win at Cannes: Oldboy (2003), which won the Grand Prix and Thirst (2009), which won the Jury Prize. His film The Handmaiden (2016) screened in competition at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, and won the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language. From his TV series The Little Drummer Girl (2018), which screened on the BBC, to his collaboration with Apple on the short film Life is But a Dream (2022), director Park Chan-wook constructs unique cinematic worlds with his taboo-breaking storytelling, fascinating characters, and sensual visuals.
Filmography: Oldboy (2003); Thirst (2009); The Handmaiden (2016); Decision to Leave (2022)
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
There's Still Tomorrow
A critical and box office sensation in Italy, Paola Cortellesi's triumphant directorial debut is the tale of a Roman housewife in 1946, who stands up against the routine sexist abuse she suffers. Funny, heartbreaking and inspiring.
The Way, My Way
All manner of pilgrims flock to France and Spain to walk the 800 km Camino de Santiago. One such is Bill, a stroppy sexagenarian Australian filmmaker who's determined to do the Camino with minimal prep, a dickey leg, and no firm idea why.
The Stand
This rousing doc explores a 1985 dispute over logging in the Haida Gwaii. Taking us from canny retrospective commentary to the thick of the action, director Chris Auchter employs animation and a wealth of archival footage to riveting effect.
Resident Orca
Captured in Puget Sound in 1970, killer whale Lolita spent the next half century in a cramped tank in Seaquarium, Miami. The film follows a coalition of Lummi elders, animal lovers and philanthropists on a rescue mission to return her to the ocean.
No Other Land
Deemed by many critics one of the essential films of 2024, a multiple festival award winner and Academy Award winner for Best Documentary, No Other Land is a reminder that mass expulsion is by no means a new reality for Palestinians.
Misericordia
Edgy, eccentric, and unapologetically queer, this film goes from drama to comedy without putting a foot wrong. Sex and murder are the subjects, and writer-director Alain Guiraudie (Stranger by the Lake) mines them for suspense and outrageous laughs.