Portrait of a Beauty looks to a Cannes premiere
by javabeans
The film Portrait of a Beauty opens November 13, but a more significant premiere on its horizon is a possible screening at the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival.
According to production company Yedang Entertainment, a Cannes representative was an attendee at the recent VIP preview event, who had high praise for the film and extended an unofficial invitation to show at Cannes. Portrait of a Beauty has received acclaim for its high production values and artistic cinematography, while the story tells of the “hidden life” of famous Joseon-era artist Shin Yoon-bok. (Yes, the same Shin Yoon-bok of the drama series Painter of the Wind.)
One rep from Yedang expressed the honor of showing at Cannes, saying, “Through Portrait of a Beauty, viewed as being the most ‘Korean’ of films, I’d like to show the world the excellence of Korean cinema.”
Other Korean films with strong Cannes showings include Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy in 2006 and Lee Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine in 2007, for which lead actress Jeon Do-yeon was also named Best Actress. Portrait of a Beauty may join those illustrious ranks, but only if that “unofficial” invitation turns official. Let’s hope they don’t have to do a lot of embarrassed backtracking later. (It might also help to get the English right on the poster if they want to make “the history.”)
Via Mk.co.kr
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Tags: film festivals, Kim Min-sun
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1 Sue
November 9, 2008 at 4:49 PM
konglish, oh how you pain me so!
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2 Sevenses
November 9, 2008 at 5:34 PM
(The 'gets' annoys me more, dunno why.) I have a feeling they cut it down from 'Sensational secrets from the history of Korea gets revealed', though of course that doesn't excuse anything. Still, it's nice to have recognition at Cannes!
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3 iaia-chan
November 9, 2008 at 5:49 PM
I like the picture....it's really nice
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4 Javabeans
November 9, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Sevenses, that bugged me too. It's just awkward English, probably written by someone who's not a native speaker who doesn't see the problem. A few words altered could pack a lot more punch, like:
"Revealing a sensational secret from history..."
"A sensational secret is finally revealed..."
etc.
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5 Rachael
November 9, 2008 at 6:05 PM
If they even just took out the "the" in that line, it would flow much better. Such an easy fix. Engrish, never a good thing to have. I do love the imagery of the poster though. Espicially with the color choice! Very vivid while avoiding the use of red, which I get the feeling many others would probably have chosen.
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6 ed
November 9, 2008 at 6:51 PM
it'll be in the "out of competition" screening if anything comes of it. the irony is this "secret" in "history" is all fabricated, but sold as "truth" to the eager crowd for exotic orientalism. if they're throwing around any cannes association now, it's to prime the korean release in 3 or 4 days! (somehow the cannes label carries more weight in korean market than in america: where people just nod and move on -- our one oscar trumps all your cannes, bafta, etc :P )
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7 pity...
November 9, 2008 at 7:13 PM
they should just get rid of that line...with so many English speakers in Korea, it just seems like sloppiness on their part. plus, as you aptly pointed out, it isn't really history.
even with the corrections, it's too cliched to add anything to the intrigue. perhaps "a painter with a woman's touch" or "a sensuous secret behind the screen" or the "the erotic story behind the easel"...something referring to the gender bending would sound more interesting.
aside from the english, the poster and preview look beautiful.
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8 meenuby
November 9, 2008 at 7:53 PM
i like the poster too, but am i the only one who thinks she looks anorexic much?
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9 jessybee
November 9, 2008 at 9:24 PM
great looking poster, though i don't think the typeface (font) works for me.. hm.. maybe just the designer in me feeling itchy.. ughh.. anyways.. i'm actually looking forward to the movie! looks good!
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10 deeta
November 9, 2008 at 9:36 PM
what disturbs me is kim min soon, is she supposed to be that bony? she doesn't look so skinny in recent times,,
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11 selva
November 10, 2008 at 10:03 AM
love the portrait BTW and I also agree w/ the bony and anorexic part.
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12 Shaenna
November 10, 2008 at 12:07 PM
I really want to see this. But, I think it would sound better if it was:
A sensational secret from history is revealed... And if it goes to Cannes great, that way Korean Cinema can be shared and enjoyed with a variety of audiences. I agree with you javabeans...
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13 belleza
November 10, 2008 at 7:36 PM
"is she supposed to be that bony? "
Exposed, malnourished shoulder blade is the new cleavage, I hear. I love it.
". . . eager crowd for exotic orientalism."
Hello Zhang Ziyi's career! ;)
What I like about the Painter in the Wind promotion is that it at leasts pays lip service to qualifying feminine identity sans the implicit caveat that a woman isn't "truly" a woman until a man says so. "Portrait of a Beauty" promotion seems the opposite of that.
"somehow the cannes label carries more weight in korean market than in america:"
Cynically so. It's another way to apply "well hey the Western devils love it, so he/she/it MUST be good!! Our nation is great, O Queen of Cannes!!" revisionist status to artists that were initially ignored, reviled, or undervalued by domestic musos. At least Kim Ki Duk knows to exploit it and wave his hissy fits back at the Korean media. Wonderful. :D
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