Desert Dream (2006) - 경계 (Kyeong-gye)

Movies From Mongolia Show Warm Humanity Bloom in Barren Deserts

2007/11/06 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

From the bleak wastelands of Mongolia come two heartwarming tales ― "Tuya's Marriage" and "Desert Dream" ― that speak about the incredible power of hope, courage and love in life. In the two movies, individual lives cross paths and stumble upon the unexpected. One desert woman leaves her disabled husband to remarry, only so that she can take care of her former spouse, and finds newfound meaning of love and self worth. Another one defects from North Korea with her son to find home ― and love ― in an unfamiliar place.

Tuya's Marriage

Winner of the 2007 Golden Berlin Bear, "Tuya's Marriage" tells the unforgettable story of a woman who breaks the conventional rules of marriage so that she can ― ironically ― honor them. In the middle of the vast desert in Inner Mongolia, Tuya leads a tough yet peaceful life with her husband and two children. But when an accident cripples her husband, she is forced to carry on, herdi...| More

To participate to HanCinema, you must sign up or log in. Sign up, Why ?

Human Emotions at This Year's PIFF

2007/09/28 | Source | Permalink |

A film festival is like a person: capable of making people laugh, it can also be neglected, rising and falling with the joys and sorrows of life. Nurtured with love from an early age, it prospers. So it is with the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), which marks its 12th birthday in the southern port city also spelled Busan this year. The 12th PIFF, now the leading Asian film festival, is held at Haeundae Beach and Nampo-dong in Busan from Oct. 4 to 12. The 275 films from 64 countries to be shown focus on several multiple aspects of our lives, from personal growth to alienation and family love.


Growth - "Somewhere Over Here" (Korea) directed by Lee Seung-young, 2007

The director's first feature film draws on his own experiences. In it, the heroine dreams of becoming a musician as she wanders around Hongik University. The vicissitudes of her life are depicted frankly in the movie. Lee also won acclaim for his previous film "I'm Not That Kind of Person".

Pain - "Ezra" (N...| More

To participate to HanCinema, you must sign up or log in. Sign up, Why ?

"Desert Dream" Takes Top New Delhi Prize

2007/07/31 | Source | Permalink |

Korean-Chinese director ZHANG Lu's third feature "Desert Dream" (Hyazgar), picked up the top prize at the 9th Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian & Arab Cinema held annually in New Delhi, India. The Korea-France co-production took home Best Picture in the Asian and Arab section at a July 29th awards ceremony, closing the fest's 10-day run.

"Desert Dream" is set in a small, drought threatened village on the Chinese-Mongolian border and revolves around a farmer obsessed with tree-planting to stave off desertification. After his neglected wife and child leave him, a North Korean woman refugee and her child, wandering across the desert, stay and settle with him. A wandering soldier also appears on the scene.

ZHANG's film premiered in competition at the Berlinale earlier this year. It went on to tour a number of festivals before winning its first prize at Osian. ZHANG's sophomore work, "Grain in Ear" (2005) travelled to numerous film festivals, including Cannes, winning the top...| More

To participate to HanCinema, you must sign up or log in. Sign up, Why ?

Korean Competitors at Barcelona Fest

2007/03/19 | Source | Permalink |

The ninth edition of the Barcelona Asian Film Festival has selected KIM Tae-yong's "Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family") (Gajokui Tansaeng), LEE SONG-Hee-il's "No Regret" (Hoohwehaji Anha) and ROH Kyeong-tae's "The Last Dining Table" (Majimak Babsang) for its competition.

Barcelona will host the festival from April 27 until May 6. The festival presents contemporary Asian cinema. Besides feature films, Barcelona also includes sections for digital projects and animations. HYAZGAR("Desert Dream") by Korean-Chinese director ZHANG Lu will open the film festival.

"Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family") deconstructs the traditional family in three related narratives. The film received critical acclaim and was awarded at the Thessaloniki Film Festival.

"No Regret" is the top grossing independent film at the Korean box office. The gay-themed film revolves around the relationship between a wealthy man and a male escort. Distributor Fortissimo obtained the international distribution ri...| More

To participate to HanCinema, you must sign up or log in. Sign up, Why ?

Sacrificing showers to explore our mental desert

2007/02/22 | Source | Permalink |

The 57th Berlin International Film Festival, which ended Sunday, selected two Korean films for their official competition. One was Park Chan-wook's "I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK". The other was a co-production that involved Korea, Mongolia and France and was titled "Hyazgar" ("Desert Dream").
The film, which was shot in Mongolia, delves into the relationship between a young woman and her son. They have settled in a rural village on the border between China and Mongolia, after defecting from North Korea. The third character is a man who plants trees in the desert and develops a relationship with the woman.
"Hyazgar" was directed by Zhang Lu, 45, a third-generation Korean-Chinese director whose debut was the award winning film "Grain in Ear", which was also the story of an ethnic Korean with a little son who carries on a relationship with a stranger out of desperation. The following is an interview with the director.

Q. The names of the young mother and her son in the film "Hyazgar" ...| More

To participate to HanCinema, you must sign up or log in. Sign up, Why ?