≡ Movie Insight: Chungmuro Musical Film Festival Pays Tribute To 'Obaltan'
[Anchor]
In this week's look at the local film industry, the Chungmuro Musical Film Festival is currently taking place in the heart of Seoul.
Our movie critic Jason Bechervaise gives us more details in this report.
[Reporter]
This year, Korean cinema celebrates its centenary with a number of events dedicated to mark the occasion.
Film festivals across the country have curated special programs that focus on Korean cinema and its history, and will continue to do so leading up to a series of events taking place in October.
There is still some debate when the first Korean film screened in cinemas, but it's Kim Do-san's 1919 kino-drama "The Righteous Revenge" that ultimately ushered in Korean cinema.
On Wednesday, the Chungmuro International Musical Film Festival opened with a screening of Yoo Hyun-mok's 1961 acclaimed film "Obaltan," with live music accompaniment and voice actors reading out the dialogue.
The film, which was pulled from cinemas when Park Chung-hee took power in May 1961, provides a realist portrait of post-war South Korea echoing films from the Italian neorealist period.
It's a highly significant film in the history of Korean cinema, which the festival paid tribute to in what was a well-orchestrated opening ceremony.
The festival, located in what used to be the home of the South Korean film industry before companies moved to the other side of the Han River, is screening a total of 18 films throughout the festival.
It will close on Saturday evening with a screening of Bob Fosse's musical comedy-drama "Sweet Charity."
Jason Bechervaise, eFM News.■[2019.07.12]
