RIDM 2015: My Love, Don't Cross that River

MY LOVE, DON'T CROSS THAT RIVER
by MOYOUNG JIN

PREMIER LONG MÉTRAGE - FIRST FEATURE - Portraits
2014 / Colour / South Korea / 86 min. / English & French subtitles 

It was real a pleasure to witness on the screen a real-life, true love story, which endured through many decades and never faded or changed into something it has not been from the start. This couple was so close and united that they even wore matching traditional Korean outfits of the same colour. The bright colours of those traditional textiles were candies to the eyes as compared to the mostly quite drab present day wear. 

One is especially touched by the couple's concern about each other,  their playfulness, tenderness, and sweetness with which they touch and embrace each other. They got married when she was only 14 and he was a considerably older young man. As she tells it in her own words, he waited until she matured and for her to make her own move towards him first. That took place when she was 17, and this was when they truly became a couple. He said he did not want to hurt her since she was still a child. That was a really remarkable attitude, especially when taking into consideration that he was a very simple, uneducated, countryside man, yet he had a remarkable understanding of his young not yet mature bride, and chose to wait patiently for her to blossom into womanhood. I wonder how many present day young man have this type of sensitivity and intuitive understanding?

The photography of this film is remarkable. Some images are stunning, as those of the opening and the closing scenes. Throughout the entire film there is a great sensitivity to shapes, colours and forms, to the shooting angles, the light, the natural imagery, sounds, and even the design of natural shapes. All this helps to reveal the deep sense of satisfaction, love and value that such a relationship experienced, and even conveyed a Zen sate those two people were able to create in their life.

This is a beautiful and deeply touching film. All those to whom I talked and who have seen it just simply loved it. It is a jewel of a film, a portrait of a very rare relationship, especially in our modern society.

Film's Official Synopsis

"This is a story of unconditional, larger-than-life love. Byeongman Jo is 98 and Kyeyeol Kang is 89. After 76 years of marriage, they still hold hands as they stroll in their Sunday best; they still have snowball fights. She takes care of him, he sings and picks flowers for her. Every moment is proof of their indestructible bond, strong enough to overcome the struggles of a harsh life. But their twilight years are fast approaching... For more than a year, Moyoung Jin discreetly filmed the everyday life of this exceptional yet entirely ordinary couple. An unprecedented success for an independent Korean documentary, the film deserves a place among the great tragic romances. A heartbreaking meditation on the fragility of happiness."

COUNTRY : SOUTH KOREA
YEAR : 2014
LANGUAGE : KOREAN
SUBTITLES : FRENCH, ENGLISH
RUNTIME : 86 MIN
PRODUCTION : KYUNGSOO HAN
CINEMATOGRAPHY : MOYOUNG JIN
EDITING : ZINSIK HYUN
SOUND : MINU JUNG

CONTACT
MAËLLE GUENEGUES
CAT & DOCS
MAELLE@CATNDOCS.COM

MOYOUNG JIN

FILMOGRAPHY

Film's trailer

For more information about the documentary film festival visit the RIDM website.