Veterans Lee, Yun Team Up in ‘Poetry’

Yun appears in a scene from ``Poetry,'' which is due in local theaters on May 13.

/ Courtesy of unikorea

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Lee Chang-dong is expected to offer a more poetic sensibility in his latest feature film. The appropriately named ``Poetry,’’ may be unveiled next month at the Cannes Film Festival.

``I sent a copy of the film, but as you know they won’t say anything until the official announcement. I haven’t heard anything yet so I am still waiting,’’ Lee told reporters in Seoul, Wednesday.

The director has directed such works as ``Secret Sunshine,’’ which saw Jeon Do-yeon crowned best actress at Cannes in 2007. He also served as a member of the jury at the event last year. The film, produced by French company Diaphana, was quoted by Variety magazine as being ``ripe for (one of the) competition slots’’ at Cannes, ahead of the announcement of the official lineup Thursday.

Here, the film is making headlines for featuring the comeback of veteran actress Yun Jeong-hie.

``From the moment we went into production, it felt like reuniting with an old friend; it felt natural,’’ Yun said about returning to cinema after a 15-year hiatus. The 65-year-old was one of the top three reigning screen queens of the 1960s when she married the famous pianist Paik Kun-woo.

Having left film production just after the introduction of sound, Yun had to deal with new technology. But the real struggle was within.

``It was difficult to break away from the type of acting I was used to doing,’’ said the actress, who has over 300 films and 24 acting awards under her belt. ``I have done so many films in my life, but there was one scene that worried me from the moment I read the script.’’

For the first time in her life she nervously rehearsed in front of her husband. ``My husband said the same thing director Lee said. `Just try to be natural.’’’

Her husband, however, also remarked how strikingly similar she is to her character Mi-ja _ which also happens to be Yun’s real name. ``I am very greedy, and it was excruciating as I tried my best to utilize everything that this instrument called the human body is capable of.’’

Yun plays the role of a grandmother who lives in the suburbs with her teenage grandson. Though in her 60s, she is still naïve, curious and charming like a little girl, and one day becomes immersed in the world of poetry. She begins to explore the beauty of the small things in everyday life as she builds her craft, but when a terrible, unexpected incident occurs she discovers the dark side to things.

Lee, who has penned and helmed riveting dramas such as ``A Peppermint Candy,’’ ``Green Fish’’ and ``Oasis,’’ said ``Poetry’’ is ``less disturbing’’ than his previous works.

Making movies and writing is “all inherently the same in that I am trying to communicate with others by expressing myself,’’ the novelist-turned-director said. But the film proved to be a new obstacle.

``It’s about challenging myself. I made the movie thinking it was a big trial. I really wanted to face the audience but I took the long way around, overcoming big hurdles. The movie may seem like no big deal to others but for me it was something very novel,’’ he said.

``There are many provocative movies these days, and I wanted to precipitate a response using something non-provocative such as poetry… Poetry is something we could live without, something we learn in school and then forget about. It doesn’t earn you much money, but it’s still something we need. It gives us something we cannot see but inspires beauty.''

The former Culture Minister added, ``I hope that this film, which is called `Poetry’ and is about poetry and a woman writing poetry, can inspire the audience to discover something, find answers through poetry.’’

Yun said ``I really hope the audience can dream through this movie ― students, youths, grandmothers who can and want to dream.''

“Poetry” will be in local theaters May 13.

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