The Old Garden

Gwangju, South Korea. May, 1980. Military strongman Chun Doo Hwan's control of the nation leads to a popular but violent uprising. Following the massacre, Hyun-woo, a student activist, and his comrades are on the run from the police. They split up to hide, with Hyun-woo finding refuge in a country cabin with a teacher named Yoon-hee. Soon, the political and personal lives of the pair become intertwined, and the film spins out its tale as Hyun-woo's story of present-day anguish and loss flashes back to the start of the lovers' relationship. Two generations of anti-authoritarian artists are at work in THE OLD GARDEN: young director Im Sang-soo, known for his talented and controversial filmmaking, and Hwang Suk-young, a well-regarded novelist who spent the 1980s in exile and then served five years in prison in the 1990s for an unauthorized visit to North Korea. Their powerful storytelling, plus haunting performances. (In Korean with English subtitles) – B.B.