Gala Presentation of the Critically Acclaimed Film 'Minari' That Left A Mark On Every Viewer's Heart
The Gala Presentation Of Minari' in the 25th Busan International Film Festival
On October 23rd, the 25th Busan International Film Festival made an online press conference for the gala presentation 'Minari.'
Due to the current COVID19 pandemic, the said press conference took place online from Busan as well as Los Angeles, USA. The film 'Minari' talks about the life of a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm to fulfill their own American Dream. However, their home changes completely with the presence of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. 'Minari' took home the Grand Prize of the Jury and Audience Award in the dramatic competition category at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
The film consists of numerous characters but we'll focus on three. First, the father, who moved to a rural Arkansas village to build his own farm after working as a chick discriminator for 10 years. Second, the mother, who wants to return to California because of her deserted life in Arkansas, and third, the maternal grandmother who came to the United States to live with her daughter. All their lives will be viewed through the eyes of their young son David.
The Gala Presentation Of Minari' in the 25th Busan International Film Festival
Moving forward, director Lee Isaac Jung discussed the beginning of the film and shared that he was reading a novel that impressed him while working with the film. He continued sharing that it was a book based on his experience living on a farm, and what impressed him the most was that the story is exactly the same as how he pictured out his life. Through this process, the director also added that he decided not to make a documentary but a fictional film instead. The film's storyline was based on his life story.
The Gala Presentation Of Minari' in the 25th Busan International Film Festival
Actor Steven Yeun also shared his thoughts and said that he sympathized with migrants' lives in the movie. He shared that he also moved to Canada before moving to a secluded place in the United States. His experiences were similarly incorporated in the movie. The actor added that, in reality, an immigrant's life could be traumatizing because of differences in culture, worldview, and language. So, for him, the movie resembles the lives of many immigrants.
Steven Yeun also shared that the huge impact he felt while filming this movie was that he felt outcasted when he migrated to the US. There is no sense of belonging, and it seemed like he was stuck in the middle gap between Korea and the US.
Han Ye Ri also shared her experiences in the film and shared why she took the project. The actress stated that she did have an excellent impression of him when she met the director, and she felt really comfortable. She thought she'd do her best even though she's not good at speaking English.
The Gala Presentation Of Minari' in the 25th Busan International Film Festival
Also, director Lee Isaac Jung revealed the reason for choosing his cast for the film 'Minari.' He stated that the reason is that they are the best actors for the film. Even while they were busy, they gave him a schedule and worked together.
Lastly, director Lee Isaac expressed that after director Bong Joon-ho's 'Parasite' won the Academy Awards in February this year, there were increasing Korean films' interests. Korean movies are more and more accepted and embraced worldwide, not only in movies but also in dramas and other content.
