Dear Dictator (2014 film)
Dear Dictator (Korean: 친애하는 지도자동지께; RR: Chin-ae-ha-neun Ji-do-ja-dong-ji-kke) is a 2014 South Korean drama film written and directed by South Korean indie provocateur Lee Sang-woo. It was first shown at the 15th Jeonju International Film Festival in 2014 and was one of the most talked about films of the event.[1]
Dear Dictator | |
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Directed by | Lee Sang-woo |
Produced by | Pierce Conran |
Screenplay by | Lee Sang-woo |
Starring | Kim Yeong-geon Shin Won-ho Seo Hyun-seok |
Music by | Kang Min-kook |
Cinematography | Kim Min-su |
Edited by | Lee Chae-hyun |
Release date |
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Running time | 99 minutes |
Country | South Korea |
Language | Korean |
Synopsis
Buk-seong, Young-rim and Woo-seok are school dropouts from broken homes and live in a shanty town. One day, a North Korean spy begins video-recording their lives and capturing the complicated series of events that happens between them for use as part of North Korea's propaganda.[2][3][4][5]
Cast
- Kim Yeong-geon as Buk-seong
- Shin Won-ho as Young-rim
- Seo Hyun-seok as Woo-seok
- Lee Joo-min as Hee-soo
- Jo Ha-suk as Spy
- Lee Tae-rim as Book-seong's father
Reception
HK Neo Reviews' Andrew Chan: "This is a powerful film where it questions the very existence of Korean society, the government as well as the tone of black comedy when depicting the North Korean interactions."[6]
Modern Korean Cinema's David Bell: "A visionary director clearly growing in confidence, Lee deftly subjects the everyday poverty of those living on the fringes of modern South Korean society to a predisposed gaze usually reserved for imagery of North Korea. Aggressive and compelling, Dear Dictator proves an expertly provocative work."[7]
Hangul Celluloid's Paul Quinn: "Even for those familiar with director Lee Sang-woo's earlier work, Dear Dictator is bleak to a level that is never an easy watch, in any respect. However, this is a deeply thought provoking narrative that needs to be told."[2]
References
- Kim, Nemo (7 May 2014). "Argentina's History of Fear Wins at Korea's Jeonju Festival". Variety. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
- Quinn, Paul. "DEAR DICTATOR". hangulcelluloid.com. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
- Asheru, Mut (2014). "Film Review: Dear Dictator by writer / director Lee Sang-woo – queue the Cypress Hill "here's something you just cain't understand"". knowshi.com. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
- "DEAR DICTATOR". cinando.com. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
- "Dear Dictator (2015)". Korean Film Council. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
- Chan, Andrew (3 May 2014). "[15JIFF] Dear Dictator 친애하는 지도자동지께 (2014) – South Korea". HK Neo Reviews. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
- Bell, David (13 August 2014). "Review: Borderline Life - DEAR DICTATOR Re-Frames the Gaze South". Retrieved 24 December 2017.