Christmas descends on a North Korean village in the form of a toy robot that evokes awe, desire, and jealousy in the area’s impoverished children. For little Jong-soo, the robot offers him sudden popularity and a chance to finally visit Pyongyang to aid his sick brother. A Christmas tale unlike any you’ve seen before, complete with a North Korean Santa Claus, some not particularly wise men, and a hoped-for winter’s journey to that promised land of glory (Pyongyang), this family-centric comedy/ melodrama (written by Jung Sung-san, a defector from North Korea) offers a rarely seen portrait of everyday North Koreans.
Written by Jung Sung-san. Photographed by Ham Soon-ho. With Kim Whan-young, Joo Hae-ri, Lee Choong-hoon. (95 mins, In Korean with English subtitles, Color, 35mm)
(in conjunction with) San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
Each year, the Center for Asian American Media brings us the best in contemporary cinema from Asia and the Asian diaspora. The thirtieth installment of this adventurous festival at the PFA Theater features films and documentaries from China, the Philippines, New Zealand, Cambodia, South Korea, the United States, and a rarity from Burma. An intimate conversation with child star and playwright Cherylene Lee, a poetic meditation on the 2011 Japanese tsunami, an unusual look at a women’s prison in Kabul, and the epic Asian American indie feature In the Family round out a week of discoveries and revelations.
We anticipate having filmmakers and special guests in person at many of the screenings—please check bampfa.berkeley.edu for the latest updates. For even more national and regional cinema, alternative media, and special events, check the complete festival schedule at caamedia.org.
Steve Seid, Video Curator
A presentation of the Center for Asian American Media.
Program notes are adapted from the festival catalog.
Special admission prices apply:
General admission: $12; CAAM and BAM/PFA members, UC Berkeley students: $10 (limit 2 tickets per person per program); Non-UC Berkeley students, seniors, and disabled persons: $11 (limit 1 ticket per person per program). Advance tickets for festival programs at the PFA Theater are available at the PFA Theater box office and BAM/PFA admissions desk, online, or by phone at (510) 642-5249. Please note that our second-feature discount does not apply to these programs. Tickets are nonrefundable, and may not be exchanged.
PFA General:
2575 Bancroft Way
Berkeley, CA 92027
(510) 642-1412
