Downtown Los Angeles will soon be overrun by movie aficionados anxious to see the latest in the world of independent film. Kicking off its 10-day run with Bernie, a black comedy starring Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey, this year’s L.A. Film Festival, running June 16-26, will showcase over 200 films, shorts and music videos. Among the offerings are four South Korean films you may want to check out:
•Haunters stars Dong-won Kang as Cho-in, a psychic who can control people with his mind, and Ko Soo as Kyu-nam, the only man immune to Cho-in’s powers. The two engage in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse that pushes both men to the edge. The film was directed by Min-suk Kim of The Good, the Bad, the Weird fame.
•Cheonggyecheon Medley: A Dream of Iron is a documentary by Kelvin Kyung Kun Park about the rise and decline of the scrap metal business in Seoul after World War II.
•The Yellow Sea revolves around Gu-nam, played by Ha Jung-woo, a taxi driver mired in red ink who agrees to commit murder in order to pay off his debt. However, when Gu-nam is double-crossed, he must fight to clear his name while evading both the police and the underworld.
•Come Rain, Come Shine, directed by Lee Yoon-ki, stars Hyun Bin and Lim Soo-Jung as a married couple getting ready to divorce. Tinged with resignation and regret, the film looks at how two people who have fallen out of love spend their final day together.
The four films will be shown at the Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE; details can be found at the LA Film Fest site. The festival is produced by Film Independent, a non-profit organization promoting independent filmmakers, and is presented by the Los Angeles Times.
—Ann Lee