Plans for the 7th Malatya International Film Festival, which takes place from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16 and is organized by the Malatya Metropolitan Municipality, continue without letting up. Sections of the programs' competition are slowly being determined while applications for national and international short and feature movies continue
Due to the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, which started the connection between Turkey and South Korea, the 7th Malatya International Film Festival will include the newest films from South Korean, whose film industry is on the rise with both awards won at festivals and international praise.
The first films selected for the 60th Year of Friendship section are "On the Beach at Night Alone," a popular movie this year, and "The Day After" by famous director Hong Sang-soo.
'Hyeongje-ui nala' (Sister Countries) South Korea-Turkey Friendship
In 1950, the Korean War, which started with North Korean troops invading to bring communism to the Korean Peninsula, formed the basis of the friendship between South Korea and Turkey.
Turkish troops in the Korean War remained there from October 1950 to August 1954, and siding with South Korea created a friendship between the two countries.
Hong Sang-soo
Hong Sang-soo has a unique place in South Korean cinema, which has developed many important directors with unique styles, including Kim Ki-duk, Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook. Due to simple, humanistic scenarios, he is compared to French veteran Eric Rohmer and Woody Allen for his productivity and humor, and he is deemed the most elegant and Western director of South Korea.
His fan base, which began to grow in 1996 with "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well," still continues after 21 years even though his cinematic language has become simpler and more basic over the years. Festivals such as Berlin, Cannes and Venice all want to show his movies. He has accelerated his production since 2010, and as of 2012, he shoots two movies a year, and three movies this year. "On the Beach at Night Alone," the first of these three films, is based on his personal life, which has been featured in tabloids in his country. The movie stars Kim Min-hee who won a Silver Bear for best leading actress.
"The Day After" competed at the 2016 Cannes festival, while "La camera de Claire" was screened outside of competition. His movies usually have autobiographical elements and strong, impressive female characters and criticize masculine behavior.
Those who follow the 7th Malatya International Festival will get the chance to watch "A Night at the Beach Alone," which is as melancholic as a Berlin winter, and "The Day After," reflecting the contradictions and ups and downs of the human soul.