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| A scene from Argentine film "Karnawal," which revolves around a teenager who has a passion for Malambo, the national dance of Argentina. Courtesy of Bikini Films |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Argentina, the Embassy of Argentina in Korea has joined hands with the Korean Film Archive (KOFA) and Directores Argentinos Cinematograficos (Directors Argentina) to host the first-ever Argentine film festival in Korea at Cinematheque KOFA in western Seoul from June 14 to 30.
With the theme, "Visions from the other side: Panorama of Contemporary Argentine Cinema," the festival will showcase 12 Argentinian films directed by prominent directors who made their debuts in the mid-2000s. Among the films, "Karnawal" and "For the Money" will premiere in Korea.
Ambassador of Argentina to Korea Alfredo Bascou thanked the KOFA for organizing the film festival jointly during his remarks at the opening ceremony at the Cinematheque, Thursday.
"It is my pleasure and honor to inaugurate the first Argentinian film festival in Seoul... This year we celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Argentina and Korea. In spite of the distance, our ties have multiplied and we hope they will continue to grow even more," Ambassador Bascou said.
In the field of cinema, there are a handful of exchanges between the two countries, such as co-productions, remakes and Korean films that have been shot in Argentina and vice-versa.
"It is still not common to watch Argentinian cinema on the big screen here in Korea. We hope this film festival will serve to bring our cinema closer to the Korean public. Our cinema has a long history and with more than 200 films produced every year, it is among the 15 biggest producers of films worldwide. It is very rich and vibrant in its stories and aesthetics and makes us very proud of our films," the ambassador added.
KOFA director Kim Hong-jun said that the event is expected to "serve as an opportunity to take a next leap forward in exchange beyond the understanding of contemporary Argentine cinema."
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| The poster for the Argentine Film Festival in Seoul held at the Korean Film Archive's Cinematheque KOFA in western Seoul / Courtesy of the Embassy of Argentina in Korea |
After the ceremony, Juan Pablo Felix's 2020 film, "Karnawal," was screened. The movie revolves around an Argentine teenager, Cabra, who lives in the northern part of the country. He has a passion for "Malambo," the folkloric tap dance of the "gaucho" (skilled horseman), and prepares for a big dance competition at the carnival.
When his convict father pays an unexpected visit to Cabra and his mother, the boy struggles to reconnect with his father whilst on a mysterious road trip with his family. At the same time, the teenager must also prepare for the Malambo competition.
The lead role is played by professional Malambo dancer Martin Lopez Lacci, who brings explosive energy to this coming-of-age story.
"I strongly believe that cultural activities build bridges between countries and diplomatic bonds are strengthened through culture. So having a festival for two weeks of films from Argentina, a country that is far away and that is not very well known in Korea, is an excellent opportunity, which KOFA gave us to promote our cinema," the ambassador told The Korea Times after the screening.
Ambassador Bascou said "Karnawal" is more of a national film that gives a peek into other parts of Argentina, beyond the more well-known cityscapes.
"It also represents Malambo, the national dance of Argentina, which is very difficult and requires a lot of skills. This film shows what happens deep inside the country rather than the capital, where most films are almost always set," he said.
"For the Money," directed by Alejo Moguillansky, is another Argentine film that is being screened in Korea for the first time. The satirical film features an Argentinian troupe that stages a play about Argentina during a period of severe inflation.
Other films to be shown during the festival include "The Scourge" by Jose Celestino Campusano, "Vicenta" by Dario Doria, "Blinds" by Fernando Zuber, "Official Competition" by Gaston Duprat and Mariano Cohn, "The Little Match Girl" by Moguillansky, "Back to Stay" and "The Idea of a Lake" by Milagros Mumenthaler and the 808-minute "The Flower" by Mariano Llinas.
On June 24, film critic Yoo Un-seong will comment on Llinas' "Extraordinary Stories" and Argentinian and Korean film researcher Lucia Rud and Korean-Argentinian director Bae Youn-suk will discuss Benjamin Naishtat's "Red" on June 25.
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