Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 29 January 2020
‘Minari,’ a Korean immigrant drama, breaks out at Sundance

By JAKE COYLE ceased to admire and be-
AP Film Writer gan to remember.”
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Af- Chung’s memories, he
ter the premiere of “Minari” said, started pouring out of
at the Sundance Film Festi- him. A family drama began
val, while many in the audi- to form for the 41-year-old
ence were still drying their filmmaker about his up-
eyes, director Lee Isaac bringing in Arkansas. About
Chung quoted the author his parent’s struggle as im-
Willa Cather to explain how migrants in a strange new
he had come to write a film land. About his father’s
based on his childhood, hard-fought attempts to
when his Korean family start a small farm. About his
moved to rural Arkansas. tender but comic relation-
“Life began for me when I ship with his grandmother.

Director Lee Isaac Chung, left, and Steven Yeun pose for a portrait to promote the film “Minari” at
the Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Park City, Utah.
Associated Press
“I wanted to shape the boundaries, and mov- Christina Oh for wanting
narrative to have different ies like “The Farewell” and to keep “Minari” true to
pockets of how this family “Parasite” have proven Chung’s experience.
might not make it, might there’s a wide American “She was always clear:
not survive,” Chung said in audience for them. Let’s make this as Korean
an interview the morning Steven Yeun, the Korean- as possible,” Chung said.
after the film’s premiere in born actor who plays the “At the same time, it’s a
Park City. “Those were the father in “Minari,” has been low-budget film so we were
tensions I was playing with. working to great acclaim allowed to take a risk that
Each family member kind on both sides of the Pacific. I don’t big-budget films
of has their turn, their shot The “Walking Dead” actor would have been allowed
at growth and maturation. won best supporting ac- to.”
It wasn’t a traditional narra- tor from numerous critics Chung’s parents were at
tive of one hero but more: groups for 2018’s excep- the premiere of “Minari,”
How do I make the whole tional Korean mystery dra- as were Yeun’s, making for
family the hero?” ma “Burning.” He was the a very emotional evening.
“Minari” has been an un- first to sign on “Minari.” Chung called it cathartic
questionable high point “Sometimes identity be- for him and his parents.
to this year’s Sundance, come a focal point of how “They feel like I understand
a breakout critical hit that to approach the other or a what they went through,”
with exquisite tenderness difference in how we see he said. “I’ve noticed a
and simple beauty brings Americans,” said Yeun, sit- shift in the way we talk to
to life a classic immigrant ting alongside his director. each other.”
tale and a compassionate “I’ve read many scripts Yeun described a similar
family drama. The film, an about families of immi- journey in playing the fa-
American production with grants. A lot of the time, ther, Jacob.
dialogue mostly in Korean, they’re explanatory or “At times I warred with
has some heavyweight they’re catering to an au- playing him in a cliche so
backers. It was produced dience that’s not even of we could cater to a larger
by Plan B Productions (Brad themselves. When it does message, or playing him
Pitt is an executive pro- that, it loses its authenticity a very specific, individual
ducer), and independent and romanticizes in some way. Obviously, the right
distributor A24 is releasing it ways, idealizes in other choice is as an individu-
later this year. ways. When I read the al. But it was humbling to
While low in budget, “Mi- script, I was like: This is un- know I had to go through
nari” is the kind of non- abashedly a truthful telling that journey to see my dad
English film -- personal, au- of these human beings.” truly,” Yeun said.
thentic -- that might have Chung, who was born in “Sitting next to my dad,
once stood little chance Denver and whose four everyone was crying after
of getting made. But inde- previous films include his the movie but as I was get-
pendent filmmakers and Rwanda-set debut “Mu- ting up, I just put my hand
labels like Neon and A24 nyurangabo,” specifically on him. And then it was
have been pushing those credited Plan B producer over.”q