Writer/Director July Jung was in attendance to present her film after over 20 hours flights to Montreal, Canada. She was humble and pleasantly surprised to receive the Best Director Cheval Noir Award in front of a packed Audience for the FantAsia Film Festival closing film.
NEXT SOHEE (Da-eum-so-hee) stars international star Doona Bae in probably her best performance as a determined detective and relative newcomer on the big screen Si-Eun Kim as a distraught dance-dreaming, hard-hitting high school student stuck in an inhumane system. Si-Eun Kim also shines in her difficult portrayal and we can imagine Jung's direction was crucial for both.
July Jung uses a true story to illustrate flaws in the system, in people, culture and mentality that are specific to South Korea, yet resonate with international audiences. She states that the purpose of the film is not necessarily to create reform, yet to start awareness and an awaking process of what I would call warped societal and personal values.
Is high performance more praiseworthy than peace or purpose? Where is the qualitative in the mostly quantitative economy and politics? Where do we have agency instead of acceptance, avoidance, anger and despair?
The movie is envisioned in two distinct parts with the second one being much better in my view, yet exploring aspects of the first one in new light. All 134 minutes are necessary in the end to tell the story of a person, of a generation, of a system and society in all its universality.
The final shot is primed with primal emotion, as well as intellectual realisation. Analysis concludes a very well constructed and executed narrative. This is a high achievement from South Korea cinema once again.
I feel privileged to have witnessed this hard yet crucial artistic creation in fine company.
FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL 2022
SOUTH KOREA
KOREAN W/ ENG SUB
134 MIN
DIR.: JULY JUNG.
