Films from the North: Bellflower May 13, 2008

South Korean films continue to set box-office records across Asia and win laurels in international film festivals. Meanwhile, little attention is given to the cinema from the other half of the peninsula. From May 12 to 14, 2008, three films from the DPRK’s canon will be screened as a special presentation in the Classic Movie Night series.

The films have been rarely seen outside the former Eastern Bloc. Cinema in the DPRK is an original expression of social realism and a primary vehicle for conveying state ideology. Even so, the tales—of peasant farmers struggling against feudal lords, anti-Japanese resistance fighters, and ordinary citizens loyal to their hometowns—are also told with genuine artistry.

As the most popular North Korean production of the 1980s, Bellflower earned lead actress O Mi-ran the honorific title "People's Actor." O's character, Jin Song Rim, strives to turn her humble mountain hometown of Pyokgye-ri into a model socialist village. Released when the economic foundations of the DPRK were starting to tremble, Bellflower praises the spirit of workers who accept their roles and work for the betterment of the nation.

Tickets are available for $7 (members), $12 (non-members), and $30 (for all three movies, $18 for members).

Official Website: http://www.koreasociety.org/arts/film/films_from_the_north.html