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  • Japan Premiere

Special Programs < Our Lights and Shadows: Celebrating 101 Years of Korean Cinema >

Birthday

Director: LEE Jong-un

2019|Korea|120min|Language: Korean|Subtitles: Japanese

Date Time Venue Guest
3/6 (Fri) 16:00 Cine Libre Umeda 3    
君の誕生日
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Cast
SUL Kyung-gu
JEON Do-yeon
Synopsis

Jeong-il has spent three years abroad in prison and has returned home to his wife Soon-nam and daughter Ye-sol. During his time away, his son Su-ho died in the Sewol ferry disaster and Soon-nam mourned alone but continued to support her family and husband's legal bills single-handedly. Jung-il feels guilty that he was not there when his son died and he missed time with Ye-sol who views him as a stranger and he tries to make amends. Soon-nam is still stunned by her grief and is unwelcoming to her husband but the two must try to communicate as they struggle to reconnect as a family but the approach of Su-ho's birthday brings out the fractures in the household…

"Birthday" is the first dramatic film to explore the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry and, through challenging performances and slow-burn direction, it is a searing investigation of the emotions of guilt, grief, anger and frustration as flawed humans so distant from each other try to move forward together.

[Jason MAHER]

Distributor in Japan
KLOCKWORX
Website
Official site