From now to November 17, in celebration of a century of cinema in South Korea, Asian Film Archive presents Faces of the Korean Woman, a multi-faceted portrayal of women throughout Korean film history. With the support of the Korean Film Archive, more than 20 Korean films will be screened at Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore Building. Expect fascinating interpretations of girlhood and womanhood through various periods of Korean history and a deep dive into major archetypes such as the widow, villainess, ‘liberated woman’ and modern woman.
Director Bong Joon Ho’s 2009 masterpiece, Mother (마더), will be remastered in black and white. This version of the psychological thriller was only ever screened at select film festivals. You may be familiar with his most recent work, Parasite, which won the Palme D’Or award at Cannes Film Festival in May this year.
Mother screens October 11, Friday, 8pm.
1960 cult classic The Housemaid (하녀) is a cunning satirical look at modern Korean values and aspirations. The film, which had a remake in 2010, questions just how far you’d be willing to go to keep up appearances. Reactions to lead actress Lee Eunshim were apparently so hostile that her career ended shortly after the release of this film.
The Housemaid screens October 18, Friday, 8pm.
Halloween this year just got real spooky with a triple threat of Halloween programming. Kick off Halloween day with Suddenly in Dark Night (깊은밤 갑자기), a 1981 erotic cult horror film featuring housemaids, hallucinations and seemingly possessed dolls. On November 1, watch Io Island (이어도), a 1977 horror mystery film about an investor who begins an investigation into the mysterious Io Island. Lastly, A Tale of Two Sisters (장화, 홍련) screens on November 2. The psychological horror drama film is not for the faint of heart and reminds us of a Korean version of The Shining.
Faces of the Korean Woman runs from now to November 17, at Oldham Theatre. To get tickets for the films or find out the full schedule and programme line-up, head over to Asian Film Archive’s website or Facebook page.
