Cha In-pyo (차인표)

"Crossing" sold to Japan and invited by Vancouver

2008/07/17 | Source | Permalink |

KIM Tae-gyoon's "Crossing" has been bought for a Japanese release by Cinekwanon, according to "Crossing"'s production company Camp B. In addition, the 27th Vancouver International Film Festival invited the film dealing with North Korea to its Dragon & Tigers: the cinemas of East Asia section.

"Crossing" stars CHA In-pyo as a husband and father in North Korea who crosses the Chinese border to find medicines for his ill wife. His son also enters China in search of his father who has not returned. The film carries an overtly Christian message which pleased some and displeased others. "Crossing" was released in June this year.

Vancouver International Film Festival will take place from September 25 until October 10. "Crossing" is the successor of films like "Secret Sunshine" (Miryang), "The Host" (Gwemool), "Memories of Murder" (Sarinui Choo-eok), and "Duelist" (Hyeongsa) in Vancouver's Dragon & Tigers section.

Yi Ch'ang-ho (KOFIC)...| More

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Korean Movie & Canadian Circus for Families to Enjoy

2008/06/27 | Source | Permalink |

South Korea's first film on North Korean defectors has debuted on silver screens nationwide.
The production, which is based on a true story, is securing critical acclaim.
In this week's cultural report, our Lee Jeewon has more on this movie as well as news of a circus group from Canada here in Seoul.
A family of three in North Korea, circa 2007.
When the mother falls ill with tuberculosis, the father, played by Cha In-pyo, decides to head to China in search of medicine.
But he loses the little money he earned doing chores when Chinese police discover his alien status.
From then on, it's all downhill for him and his family.
Back over in South Hamgyong Province, his wife dies forcing their 10-year-old to wander off in search of his father.
The movie, which took four years to plan and produce, is inspired by the true story of a family who sought refuge in the Spanish Embassy in Beijing as part of a group of 25 defectors.
And because of the reclusive nature of North Korea, the sho...| More

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National Tragedy Becomes Personal in Director Kim's 'Crossing'

2008/06/27 | Source | Permalink |

Director Kim Tae-gyoon looked satisfied; the anxiety and tension so apparent just a few months ago had vanished. "This is the first time that I've ever been told 'thank you' by viewers since I made my debut in 1996", he said softly, his voice cracking, in an interview with the Chosun Ilbo.

Kim's latest work, "Crossing", opens this week. Starring Cha In-pyo as a North Korean man and Sin Myeong-cheol as his son, the film delves into the dismal realities of North Korean human rights and refugees. It is a tragic drama about a man who escapes a North Korean mining village to search for medicine for his dying wife, but keeps failing to reunite with his family.

As recently as March it was unclear whether "Crossing" would get to be shown in theaters. But as glowing reports about special screenings, including one at the U.S. Library of Congress, began to spread, public attention blossomed. After viewing the film, a priest told Kim that he felt as if his conscience had experienced a "solem...| More

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A true tale of escape from North Korea

2008/06/25 | Source | Permalink |

Expect some tears to well up in your eyes. "Crossing", directed by Kim Tae-gyoon, is coming out tomorrow.

The film is a desperate journey for survival. North Korean defector Yong-soo (Cha In-pyo) crosses the Tumen River, which lies on the boundary between the reclusive nation and China, to escape his brutal homeland.

There, he hopes to earn money for his frail, pregnant wife and starving son, Joon (Sin Myeong-cheol).

His original aim was to cross back to the North with some money and medicine. But before he knows it, he is joining a group of other North Koreans entering the German Embassy in Shenyang, in northeastern China, and eventually ends up in South Korea.

Yong-soo misses his family, and saves up money in the hope of going back to them. Later on, however, he finds out that his wife is already dead and that Joon is on a quest to join his father.

The story isn't fictional.

It's roughly based on the true trials of Yoo Sang-jun, an actual North Korean defector who b...| More

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Highly-Anticipated Film 'Crossing' Adapted into a Children's Book

2008/06/23 | Source | Permalink |

The soon-to-be-released film "Crossing" has been made into a storybook for children.

The film's PR company, Coming Soon, recently announced that the book will be released on June 23, four days prior to the opening of the film. The company added that the storyline of the film was adapted into a book for children and the whole family.

The story of "Crossing" revolves around a North Korean husband and father named Yong-soo (Cha In-pyo) who crosses the Chinese border to find treatment for his wife's illness and ends up in South Korea. Desperately searching for his lost father, his son Jun-yi journeys across China and Mongolia.

The book's publisher FantaWorks said unlike the film, which aims to portray the characters in an entirely objective perspective, the storybook portrays the reality of North Korea from young Jun-yi's point of view. The book also compares North Korean words with those of South Korea, including football terminologies. The book also contains impressive illustrat...| More

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