From today until the 28th, the Irish Film Institute is hosting Ireland’s fifth annual East Asia Film Festival, which presents Irish audiences with work that would otherwise be out of their grasp. This year’s lineup features independent films from East Asia that explore themes of intimacy, identity and love, emphasising the importance of belonging in times of upheaval.
Aristocrats
Directed by Yukiko Sode, Aristocrats is adapted from Tokyo Noble Girl, a novel by Mariko Yamauchi. Opening the festival at 6pm tonight, this sophisticated drama centres on two women from vastly different social and economic backgrounds, Hanako and Miki, who fall for the same man.
Through beautiful cinematography, Sode examines cultural issues of gender and class in Japan, exploring the wealth gap and its societal implications. The film features performances by Mugi Kadowaki and Kiko Mizuhara in what is sure to be a compelling story of solidarity, identity and class. Today’s screening will include a Q&A with director Yukiko Sode.
The Cloud in Her Room
In her debut film, Chinese filmmaker Zheng Lu Xinyuan tells the story of a young woman named Muzi who returns to her birthplace of Hangzhou, for New Year’s celebration, only to find herself feeling alienated in her vastly altered hometown.
Shot entirely in black and white, Xinyuan’s film combines documentary footage of Muzi interviewing bystanders with more distant shots. This powerful coming-of-age story about relationships and the transient nature of time will be screened at 6pm tomorrow. The screening will be accompanied by a Q&A with director Zheng Lu Xinyaun and Irish director Vanessa Gildea.
Moving On
Yoon Dan-bi’s Moving On is set to be a compelling exploration of the ups and downs of family life. Struggling to make enough money following his divorce, Byunggi – played by Heung-ju Yang – and his two young children move in with his elderly father. His sister, Mijung, who is simultaneously struggling to keep her marriage together, soon follows suit.
A deeply personal story, this beautifully shot film interrogates what it means to be a family and how we can move forward when ours has been redefined. Screening tomorrow at 8:30pm, it is sure to be an emotional yet uplifting watch.
My Vietnam
A deeply moving documentary, My Vietnam tells the story of a Vietnamese couple, Bay and Tam, who left Vietnam for Germany 30 years ago with hopes of returning someday. When a typhoon destroys their home in Vietnam, the couple are devastated, knowing that everything they have worked for is now gone.
A poignant depiction of separation and yearning, this film will resonate with viewers in their own time of isolation when it streams tonight at 8:30pm. An emigration story about maintaining relationships during periods of separation, director Hien Mai dedicates this film to her parents.
Minari
Among the other six films available to pre-order from IFI at Home is the highly anticipated Minari, directed by Lee Isaac Chung. Based on director Isaac Chung’s childhood memories of growing up in the US, Minari tells the story of a Korean family’s immigration to rural Arkansas in the 1980s.
This film explores the experience of the many Korean immigrants in America through the lens of a single family, told with great sensitivity and honesty. It has been nominated for six Academy Awards, including the Best Picture and Best Director. This film will be shown tomorrow at 4pm.
Each film costs €7.50 to rent from IFI at Home, with the following multi-film bundles available: €19.99 for three films, €24.99 for four and €39.99 for six.
