KAFFNY ’16: Retriever (short)

This year, the Federal government nearly reinstituted funding for horse beef inspections, but opponents prevailed in the eleventh hour. As a result, the lucrative Canadian and Mexican horse slaughtering concerns will carry on without American competition. Everyone likes Mr. Ed, but the horse beef for human consumption does not hit most Americans on the same visceral level as dog meat. Many Koreans feel the same way, but there is still a tradition of dog cuisine that some in the older generation still cling to. Obviously, opinion is mixed, but nobody is more conflicted on the issue than Lee Kwang, the homeless protagonist of Kim Joo-hwan’s short film Retriever, which screens during the 2016 Third Culture Korean American Film Festival New York (Brooklyn).

Lee is a despised and marginalized Chosonjok immigrant, an ethnic Korean from China. You could say he eats thanks to dog meat cuisine, but he does not partake himself. Every few months, Lee snatch-and-grabs a rescued stray from a provincial pound to sell to a back-alley dog butcher. He assumes a big golden retriever like Bori will fetch a nice price, but when his regular buyer lowballs him, Lee keeps him out of spite. Much to his surprise, Leee quickly bonds with Bori. He even works off the cost of vet bills when the dog gets sick through his own negligence. However, parents and dog lovers should be strongly cautioned—viewers should absolutely not get too attached to Bori.

Let’s just say Retriever is not The Lady and the Tramp or Lassie—think more along the lines of Old Yeller, but even darker. We will see how dodgy-borderline legal dog butchers go about their business and it is even more brutal than halal slaughter. This is definitely a film that stakes out a clear position in Korea’s ongoing dog meat debate. Yet, it has just as much or more to say about man’s inhumanity to his fellow man.

Moon Sun-yong is pretty darn devastating as the desperate and degraded Lee, forcing the empathy out of even the most guarded viewers. Of course, it is really and truly Max and Joon, appearing in tandem as Bori, who lower the emotional boom, just like W.C. Fields could have told you. The melancholy vibe is even further enhanced by the classically moody cinematography of Nils Clauss and Jung Jin-ho’s pensive light-chamber music score.

Retriever wears its heart conspicuously on its sleeve without shame or reservations. However, it is also an undeniably accomplished film. The quality on-screen is plainly evident to see, but it is still apt to ruin a lot of viewers’ days. If you like your films bittersweet with an emphasis on bitter than you will love Retriever when it screens this afternoon (10/22) with the feature Empty Space, at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn—and remember you can get 15% off tickets with the “jbpins” promo code.

KAFFNY ’16: The Luncheon on the Grass (short)

Listening to this quartet of amateur criminals is sort of like Rashomon, except instead of four different perspectives, we get eight. It will be up to a professional fixer-cleaner much like Winston Wolfe in Pulp Fiction to tidy up their mess and decide where the truth lies in Hyunyong Park’s short film, The Luncheon on the Grass, which screens during the 2016 Third Culture Korean American Film Festival New York (in Brooklyn).

The young kidnapping victim is now dead, but Luncheon is a comedy, so deal with it. Apparently, he grabbed a knife and killed himself. In fact, that is the only point where their stories agree. With the arrival of the cleaner (a referral from a more connected acquaintance), each tries to convince the outsider of their limited culpability for boy’s death. To “get their stories straight,” the underworld specialist has them re-enact the crime, with the still fresh corpse. However, this leads to more bickering and less clarity. Things get so heated, they almost forget they ordered Chinese. Settling down to eat, they inadvertently recreate Manet’s Luncheon on the Grass, a reproduction of which hangs on the wall of the apartment in question. Then suddenly, their motivation shifts, as do their stories, in tandem.

Luncheon has some wonderfully flawed and damaged characters, including a scandal-tarred university professor and an aspiring actress coveting Botox sessions. It is a bit disappointing that they were brought together by their clay-footed priest, but at least Park buoys us with some razor sharp dialogue and darkly absurdist humor.

Hip viewers might guess the final twist, but the real point to Luncheon is the verbal steel cage battle royale and the resulting narrative confusion. Sly and subversively pointed, it must be one of the funniest about a dead child you will see all year (or so let’s hope). Highly recommended for viewers with a pitch black sense of humor, The Luncheon on the Grass screens this Friday (10/21) as part of the Shorts Two program at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn—and remember you can get 15% off tickets with the “jbpins” promo code.

KAFFNY ’16: Time Agent (short)

For his line of work, being aloof and anti-social is actually a prime qualification. He has come from the future to subtly undermine the relationships the parents of future mass murderers, forcing them to break up before they tragically procreate. Of course, it is imperative he not interact with others while he is secretly living in our current time-span. Ordinarily that is not a problem, but one mistake leads to complications even he could not foresee in Jude Chun’s short film The Time Agent, which screens during the 2016 Third Culture Korean American Film Festival New York.

To break-up currently happily married couples due to have monstrous children, he mostly does little things, like leaving the toilet seat up. It is not just one thing—it is the cumulative effect that really matters. Frankly, these scenes are rather disturbingly convincing. However, while walking home from a day of minor mischief making, the Agent interrupts a possible suicide on the bridge. Rather annoyed by his squirrely behavior, Moon Yeesul decides not to jump.

Did he just change the future? To limit the potential damage, the Agent invites her to stay in his Spartan flat while he investigates what her previous future fate. Yet, much to his surprise, he quickly finds he quite enjoys her company.

Much like Richie Mehta’s I’ll Follow You Down, Time Agent focuses more on the emotional implications of time travel than special effects or huge history-altering time ripples. Frankly, it turns out to be shockingly poignant, bringing together two lost lonely souls, while dangling a Damocles Sword over their ambiguously budding relationship.

Essentially a two-hander, Time Agent features two extraordinarily subtle and agonizingly restrained performances from Choi Gwui-woong as the Agent and Jeon Young-hee as Moon. You will be hard pressed to see better work in any recent science fiction feature.

Chun helms the terrific duo with a remarkably sensitive touch. However, his conception of time travel also gives viewers food for thought. Tonally and thematically, it is sort of like a cross between Paris, Texas and Doctor Who, which you do not see too often. Highly recommended, Time Agent screens this Friday (10/21) as part of the Shorts Two program at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn—and remember you can get 15% off tickets with the “jbpins” promo code.

KAFFNY ’16: The Sweetening (short)

Sometimes Amazon’s personalization so is scary precise, they practically ship the books before you order them. Still, the impact is limited and arguably mostly positive. However, online personalization could have more profound implications in a more immersive digital setting. Such is the case when an unhappily married mother meets her seemingly perfect match online. The question whether he is real or not becomes a consuming obsession in Grace Rowe’s short film The Sweetening (trailer here), which screens during the 2016 Third Culture Korean American Film Festival New York.

Sadie lives in a post-Catfish world. The neglected mother of two agreed to beta-test a prospective virtual community just to pass the time. She understands online avatars are often very different from the flesh and blood people they represent. However, there is something about tall, dark Jack (or Daniel as he later calls himself) that really gets to her. After all, he is perfect for her, which is presumably why they were brought together, but that does not necessarily mean he is real.

Many films have addressed issues of digital identity and reality, but few have focused so relentlessly on the emotional repercussions. As screenwriter and lead actress, Rowe takes Sadie down a dark psychological path that some viewers might have trouble following. Yet, it gives the film unusual bite and some genuinely tragic heft. Reportedly, Rowe is developing Sweetening as a potential series, which could be truly fascinating television, if it picks up where the short film concludes.

Regardless, Sweetening is a remarkably accomplished showcase for Rowe’s talents on both sides of the camera. She also generates some real heat with Matt Houston as the mystery man/avatar. Like the under-appreciated Advantageous, it represents the sort of sensitive, relationship-driven speculative fiction that is often drowned-out and over-shadowed by more special effects-dominated fare. Recommended for mature audiences, The Sweetening screens as part of a free shorts program at KAFFNY this coming Saturday (10/15), at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn. Readers can also get 15% off other tickets at the fest using the snappy promo code "jbspins15."

KAFFNY ’16: Princess Eun Hwa (short)

She is the sort of Joseon princess Kurt Vonnegut might have written about—and the Russian, Egyptian, Chinese, and Thai princesses too. She seems to be shifting in time and space, from era to era. However, her secret is only too terrestrial and tragic. Somehow, her mysterious uncle holds the key to her fate in Dave Zhang’s short film Princess Eun Hwa, which screens during KAFFNY Third Culture Cinema 2016.

Poor Princess Eun Hwa adores her uncle, but he always leaves after delivering her medicine. The kingdom appears to be restive, but there is always a brave prince willing to escort her through the chaos in search of her beloved father-figure. However, as soon as she kisses her champion, she is suddenly whisked away to another historical realm. This process continues through most of Asia and the empires of classical antiquity. Whenever the Princess tries to slow down the cosmic cycle, she incurs her uncle’s wrath.

Obviously, there is something sinister going on behind the scenes, but to reveal it would be spoilerish (so do not read the film’s synopsis on the KAFFNY website). However, it directly pertains to grave contemporary issues that demand greater media attention, so covering the film presents quite a quandary. If you haven’t guessed the twist yet, a cold viewing will leave you deeply unsettled, but having that sort of strong, honest reaction to a film is a good thing.

For a thirty-nine-minute short, Princess Eun Hwa is quite a technical achievement, carefully crafting at least a dozen historical eras. However, the real gut punch comes from the poignancy of Song Lee Song’s achingly naïve and vulnerable performance as the Princess. Likewise, there is remarkable subtlety and nuance to Kang Ju Yeon’s turn as her protective maid Snow, especially when considered in retrospect.

Princess Eun Hwa is exactly the sort of short film that compellingly demonstrates why short films deserve more critical and media attention. You will be hard pressed to find a feature released in multiplexes this year that keeps gnawing on your subconscious for as long as this short drama does. Very highly recommended, Princess Eun Hwa is a worthy selection and terrific way to start the festival as part of a free shorts program at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn. Readers can also use the catchy promo code "jbspins15" for 15% off other tickets, including After Spring, which screens along with Kiyun Sung’s ripping good short film The Destined King later this coming Saturday (10/15).