Stray Bullet (Yoo Hyun-Mok, South Korea, 1961)

A powerhouse drama built about human suffering that never succumbs to nihilism and built around a philosophical conundrum. Namely, is it possible to live a life of conscience trapped inside a cage? Our characters here are a group of wounded ex-army men seeking work and the cage their truly dire circumstances. Unremittingly bleak – including a horrendous moment in which … Read the rest

School Trip (Yoo Hyun-mok, South Korea, 1969)

On a tiny remote island off the Korean coast a schoolteacher named Mr. Kim takes a class of young children on their first ever trip to the country’s capital, Seoul.

A lovely account of simple island kids exploring a big city and winningly told through the eyes of children whose wonderment at seeing the likes of skyscrapers and neon lights … Read the rest