[Inside Chodong]Political Film Festivals and Misreading Journalists

Director Hirokazu Koreeda shows us the family we have not seen or have pretended not to see in his film Shoplifters (2018). The emotions derived from a beautiful yet precarious way of life formed the backbone of the original script and direction. This was fully conveyed through the language of cinema, earning the film the highest honor, the Palme d'Or, at the Cannes Film Festival. For him, the language used by actors and crew members is not important. The family issues he has long been engrossed in are themes easily understood regardless of nationality or culture. Koreeda proved this firsthand by directing The Truth (2019) in France.

Broker, which will be unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival on the 26th, is Koreeda’s second film directed in a non-native language. It was filmed in Korea with Korean actors such as Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Lee Ji-eun (IU), and Bae Doona. Once again, the theme is family issues. Although the forms and personalities may differ, it seems likely to shed light on another unsightly yet indispensable boundary. It will probably question whether various variations within a fixed theme can guarantee truth. This is a prediction that relies entirely on the power of cinematic language. Sometimes it is more effective than direct conversation.

At the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, Koreeda had difficulty communicating. His answers to reporters were misinterpreted or important parts were omitted in articles. A representative example is his explanation of the family members depicted in Shoplifters. He said they were "people who have fallen away from or been excluded by their region, company, or family, becoming invisible." He added, "One of the communities isolated people seek is the internet space, and the nationalist values that reclaim those isolated individuals, where the identification of national interest with oneself progresses, causes society to become exclusive and lose diversity." Many articles failed to accurately convey this content. Contrary to his intention, it was sometimes compressed into a short sentence like "We became unhappy because the Abe administration continued."

At the Cannes Film Festival, reporters conduct interviews in groups. Each group is given 30 to 40 minutes. Under conditions where multiple rounds of questions and answers are not possible, it is difficult for the flow of conversation to deepen. If Japanese is translated into English and then into Korean, even nuances may be lost. In fact, some reporters have interpreted answers arbitrarily and reported things that were never said. Koreeda believes that a certain degree of 'Lost In Translation' can occur. However, he expresses concern about the greater misunderstandings that arise when such words spread on the internet. He wrote the following in his book I Will Continue to Tell Small Stories.

"For example, my interview published in Korean media was distorted to 'I gave a speech criticizing Japan at the awards ceremony' in less than a week. A few days later, it changed to something like 'In the acceptance speech, I also said Japan should apologize to China for the Nanjing Massacre.' Since videos are uploaded here and there, anyone can check, but apparently, those are not the kinds of media involved. Then, denying each misreading one by one is pointless. Honestly, I was too busy to respond."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Film festivals are venues sensitive to such remarks. They are spaces where the political nature swirling in a director’s mind becomes visible. Even turning one’s eyes away or keeping silent is judged along with political implications. For this reason, many directors appeal that "the films they made are everything." Koreeda is an honest person. When asked political questions, he asks for understanding by saying "I am not an expert," then shares his social and political views. He believes this can deepen understanding of his films even a little. Will this be fully conveyed at the Cannes Film Festival opening today (the 17th)? He is already prepared.

"Whether or not it is called political aside, I believe that what a film director can do in a situation where people are being absorbed into the big narratives of nation and national interest is to continue presenting various small stories that counter and relativize those big stories, and that this ultimately enriches the culture of that country."