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Korean Film Festival DC Marks 8th Year with Film, Video Art, and Director Na Hong-jin

The Korean Film Festival DC, one of the largest showcases of Korean cinema in the United States, kicks off this week at the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art in Washington DC.

The 2012 edition of the festival, running throughout March, April, and into May, is spread over two months and combines 12 films, four video art exhibitions, two lecture events, and four post-film discussions with Korean director Na Hong-jin.

The films are divided into three sections: New Korean Cinema, Seoul's Desire, and A Weekend with Na Hong-jin. New Korean Cinema, our annual survey of contemporary films, includes such popular blockbusters as "The Unjust" and "
Sunny - 2010", as well as innovative independent films such as "End of Animal" and "Anyang, Paradise City". Seoul's Desire presents four movies, including "Foxy Festival" and "Cyrano Agency", about the perils and pitfalls of contemporary romantic relationships-a significant recent trend in Korean film.

The one-two punch of "The Chaser" and "The Yellow Sea" established Na Hong-jin as one of Korea's premier action auteurs. During A Weekend with Na Hong-jin, he visits the Freer and AFI Silver Theatre to introduce and discuss both films.

This year's film festival also takes an expanded look at the art of the moving image with Moving Perspectives. Transforming the Freer Gallery's Meyer Auditorium into a temporary exhibition space, this special series features a selection of vibrant and intriguing single-channel works by artists living and working in South Korea.

Since 2004, the Freer has served as the primary organizing venue for the Korean Film Festival DC, which is organized by Tom Vick, Curator of Film at the Freer. The 2012 festival is co-presented by the AFI Silver Theatre, with the generous support from the Korea Foundation.

The festival annually presents a broad selection of classic and contemporary films, and invites Korean filmmakers to present and discuss their work at the Freer and other area venues. Over the festival's eight-year history, some of Korea's most renowned filmmakers, among them Im Sang-soo, Shin Sang-ok, Lee Chang-dong, Jang Sun-woo, and Yim Soon-rye, have made personal appearances.

Text courtesy of the Freer Gallery of Art.

Click here to visit the Freer's website, or scroll down for a full schedule.

Complete Schedule

EVENTS
All events below take place in the Freer's Meyer Auditorium.

Moving Perspectives: Minouk Lim
Thursday, March 15, 11 am–4 pm
Friday, March 16, 11 am–4 pm
Saturday, March 17, 11 am–1:30 pm

Lecture: The Burden of Memory
By Carol Huh, curator of Moving Perspectives
Saturday, March 17, 2 pm

Moving Perspectives: Hyunjhin Baik
Thursday, March 29, 11 am–4 pm
Friday, March 30, 11 am–4 pm
Saturday, March 31, 11 am–4 pm

Moving Perspectives: Jeon Joonho
Thursday, April 19, 11 am–4 pm
Friday, April 20, 11 am–4 pm
Saturday, April 21, 11 am–4 pm

Moving Perspectives: Kyungwon Moon
Thursday, April 26, 11 am–4 pm
Friday, April 27, 11 am–4 pm
Saturday, April 28, 11 am–4 pm

Lecture: Grass and Honey: Continuity and Contingency in Seoul
By Heejin Kim, director of Art Space Pool
Thursday, April 5, 7 pm


FILM SCHEDULE

F|S = Freer Gallery of Art
AFI = AFI Silver Theatre


Sunday, March 11, 2 pm, F|S
"Foxy Festival" (Lee Hae-yeong, 2010, 110 min.)

Friday, March 16, 7 pm, F|S
"Anyang, Paradise City" (Park Chan-kyong, 2011, 102 min., video)

Sunday, March 18, 2 pm, F|S
"Cyrano Agency" (Kim Hyun-seok, 2010, 117 min.)

Sunday, March 25, 2 pm F|S
"My Dear Desperado" (Kim Kwang-sik-I, 2010, 105 min., video)

Sunday, April 1, 1 pm, F|S
"Invasion of Alien Bikini" (Oh Young-doo, 2011, 75 min., video)

Sunday, April 1, 3 pm, F|S
"Red Vacance Black Wedding" (Kim Tae-sik and Park Chul-soo, 2011, 90 min., video)

Sunday, April 8, 2 pm, F|S
"End of Animal" (Jo Sung-hee, 2010, 110 min., video)

Friday, April 20, 7 pm, F|S
Saturday, April 21, 10:30 pm, AFI

"The Chaser" (Na Hong-jin, 2008, 125 min.)
In Person: Na Hong-jin

Saturday, April 21, 7 pm, AFI
Sunday, April 22, 2 pm, F|S

"The Yellow Sea" (Na Hong-jin, 2010, 137 min.)
In Person: Na Hong-jin

Tuesday, April 24, 9 pm, AFI
Thursday, April 26, 9 pm, AFI

"Sunny - 2010" (Kang Hyeong-cheol, 2011, 135 min.)

Tuesday, May 22, 6:45 pm, AFI
Wednesday, May 23, 9:20 pm, AFI

"The Unjust" (Ryoo Seung-wan, 2010, 119 min.) (Note schedule change)

Tuesday, June 12, 9:10 pm, AFI
Wednesday, June 13, 9:10 pm, AFI

"Moby Dick" (Park In-je, 2011, 112 min.) (Note schedule change)


FESTIVAL VENUES

Meyer Auditorium, Freer Gallery of Art (F|S)
Independence Avenue at 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20560
Metro: Smithsonian
202.633.1000
Admission: Seating for films is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the Meyer Auditorium, located in the Freer Gallery. Doors open approximately 30 minutes before each show.

AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center (AFI)
8633 Colesville Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Metro: Silver Spring
301.495.6700
Admission: Tickets for the AFI Silver Theatre can be purchased in advance or on the day of the film, both at the venue and online. More info at www.afi.com/silver.

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