PIFF to Screen Restored Shin Sang-ok Classic
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The 11th Pusan International Film has announced it will screen a classic Korean film that was thought long lost. "Bound by Chastity Rule" (1961), by late Korean master-director Shin Sang-ok, was tracked down by specialists from theKorean Film Archive (KOFA) who located a 16mm print of the film at the Chinese Taipei Film Archive in November 2004.
Following an official request, the print was sent to Korea in December 2005, when a complex restoration project by KOFA began. The film was completely restored in June of this year, after six months of strenuous work, including the recovering of 30 minutes of inaudible sound, for which KOFA sought additional help from pos-production house HFR Co. Ltd.
Late Director Shin Sang-ok completed more than 70 films in 5 decades of work. His best known film internationally was "Mother and a Guest" (1961) which displayed his true cinematic craftsmanship. "Bound by Chastity Rule" is said to be of the same high order, and was part of the official selection at the Berlin International Film Festival around the time of its release.
The movie deals with traditional mores and gender issues in Confucian society through the portrayal of a forbidden love between a widow and a serf who are belong to different social classes. Along with the director's trademark insights into gender issues, critics single out the impressive performances of Choi Eun-hee and Han Eun-jin as a key element contributing to the film's high rating.
Actress Choi Eun-hee became the director's wife in 1953 and survives his death in April of this year. The couple becameinternationally famous when they were abducted to North Korea from Hong Kong in 1978 and made 7 films there before escaping to the US. The director's final film "A Winter Story" (2004) has not yet been released but was screened this summer at the Pucheon International Fantastic Film Festival.
Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)
Following an official request, the print was sent to Korea in December 2005, when a complex restoration project by KOFA began. The film was completely restored in June of this year, after six months of strenuous work, including the recovering of 30 minutes of inaudible sound, for which KOFA sought additional help from pos-production house HFR Co. Ltd.
Late Director Shin Sang-ok completed more than 70 films in 5 decades of work. His best known film internationally was "Mother and a Guest" (1961) which displayed his true cinematic craftsmanship. "Bound by Chastity Rule" is said to be of the same high order, and was part of the official selection at the Berlin International Film Festival around the time of its release.
The movie deals with traditional mores and gender issues in Confucian society through the portrayal of a forbidden love between a widow and a serf who are belong to different social classes. Along with the director's trademark insights into gender issues, critics single out the impressive performances of Choi Eun-hee and Han Eun-jin as a key element contributing to the film's high rating.
Actress Choi Eun-hee became the director's wife in 1953 and survives his death in April of this year. The couple becameinternationally famous when they were abducted to North Korea from Hong Kong in 1978 and made 7 films there before escaping to the US. The director's final film "A Winter Story" (2004) has not yet been released but was screened this summer at the Pucheon International Fantastic Film Festival.
Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)
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