A Tale of Old Cities (2024)

Ten Wells

In the 1980s, Kim Hyunsook was an integral part of a collective of young women activists who focused their efforts on fighting urban poverty in some of Incheon's most disadvantaged neighborhoods. These women not only lived in these communities but also worked alongside the urban underprivileged. She introduced me to some of her former colleagues from that era. Thus, I began this film journey by visiting Ahn Soonae, a close confidante and associate of Kim's, whom Kim affectionately described as ‘a foul-mouthed woman with a huge ass.’ Soon after, I had the privilege of meeting other members of the collective, now elderly women in their 60s.

string pieces

A young student lives in a mini-apartment in Incheon, in the North-West of South Korea. Wandering around the neighbourhood, she immerses herself in her family’s past, piecing together forgotten fragments of history. Using drawings and clay animation, visual artist Vatae Kimlee creates a flowing visual collage, a captivating animated graphic novel that brings back to life memories erased by the country’s accelerated transformation.

Failan

After losing both her parents, Failan emmigrates to Korea to seek her only remaining relatives. Once she reaches Korea, she finds out that her relatives have moved to Canada well over a year ago. Desperate to stay and make a living in Korea, Failan is forced to have an arranged marriage through a match-making agency.

NOT OUT

Gwang-ho, a prospect on his high school baseball team, is not drafted by a professional baseball team. His desire to continue playing baseball strains his relationship with his team members. Gwang-ho eventually begins selling fake gasoline with his friend Min-cheol.

Silmido

On 31 January 1968, 31 North Korean commandos infiltrated South Korea in a failed mission to assassinate President Park Chung-hee. In revenge, the South Korean military assembled a team of 31 criminals on the island of Silmido to kill Kim Il-sung for a suicide mission to redeem their honor, but was cancelled, leaving them frustrated. It is loosely based on a military uprising in the 1970s.

Take Care of My Cat

When one girl from five close school friends moves to Seoul after school is over, the other four try and deal with the loss of her moving and them drifting apart.

Like a Virgin

A chubby high school student participatee in a sports competition to win a cash prize for sex change surgery.

Inchon

Gen. Douglas MacArthur leads a Korean War campaign, and the war tests a married couple's relationship.

Coin Locker Girl

A child abandoned in a subway coin locker is sold to a ruthless and calculating loan shark and gangster boss dubbed Mother, who runs an organ-harvesting ring in Incheon’s Chinatown. Named Il-Young, the baby girl grows into Mother’s loyal right-hand enforcer and is groomed to be her eventual successor. But when Il-Young’s loyalty to Mother wavers, the clash between the two unleashes a merciless tidal wave of blood-soaked retribution and strife.

Abenko Green Beret

Abengo Corps is under the direct control of headquarters of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. In order to conceal the Inchon Landing Operation, Abengo is assigned to the Wonsan Landing Operation as a decoy mission. With the operation soon at hand, the members of this operation go on a special vacation to Busan. Among them is Il-gyu. He meets with Bae Su-na, a refugee, and they spend a passionate, touching night of love together. The members perform their duties as ordered. Lieutenant Colonel Koh receives a coded message from the headquarters. Koh realizes that his men are a diversion for the Inchon Landing Operation. Lieutenant Koh is angered and resentful. And Lieutenant Sung is chosen to enter the battle instead of Lieutenant Colonel Koh. During the January 4 Retreat, Lieutenant Sung meets Su-na, who has had Il-gyu's son. Lieutenant Sung helps her out.

Green Night

Two lone female fighters who have learned to rely on no one but themselves venture into Seoul's underworld. In search of the big hit that could mean liberation from their useless husbands, these disparate women grow closer.

The Roundup: No Way Out

Detective Ma Seok-do changes his affiliation from the Geumcheon Police Station to the Metropolitan Investigation Team, in order to eradicate Japanese gangsters who enter Korea to commit heinous crimes.

Super Nova

Kidong is an exploration crew member of ASA (not NASA), aka Asia Space Administration. He leaves ASA to raise his daughter, Kyujin, after his wife and colleague, Sunho, dies during childbirth. One day, he has a mysterious experience meeting Sunho from a different dimension and decides to go back to space to search for her. He boards the secret spacecraft, Super Nova, based on the blueprints left behind by Sunho.

Project Silence

Due to sudden deteriorating weather conditions, visibility on the Airport Bridge is severely impaired, leaving people stranded and at risk of the bridge collapsing due to a series of chain collisions and explosions. Amidst the chaos, the canine subjects "Echo" from the military experiment "Project Silence," who were being transported in secret, break free, and all human survivors become targets of relentless attacks.

Pawn

A debt collector who looks intimidating, but actually has a warm heart, ends up becoming the guardian of a child, who has been left behind as collateral by her illegal immigrant mother.

Still Ill: 25 Years of 'Ill Communication'

The Beastie Boys look back on a period of the group's history that spanned from their groundbreaking 1989 album "Paul's Boutique" to the Lollapalooza tour supporting "Ill Communication."

Princess Mononoke in the U.S.A.

This short documentary follows director Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki as they attend two film festivals showing the film Princess Mononoke and answer questions. Miyazaki discusses his experience in LA before founding Studio Ghibli.

Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine

A look at the rise and fall of the subversive skateboarding magazine Big Brother, which rose to prominence in the mid-1990s and had a profound effect on the skating subculture with its unfiltered approach.

The Prince Story: Icon, Genius... Slave

A dramatization of the life of the acclaimed American musician, Prince, who died from an accidental overdose at the age of just 57 in 2016.

NYC Point Gods

An in-depth look at the legendary point guards of New York City who honed their craft and developed their legendary showmanship in the 1980s and ’90s. The documentary spotlights the ascent of Rafer Alston, Kenny Anderson, Mark Jackson, Stephon Marbury, God Shammgod, Kenny Smith, Rod Strickland and Dwayne “Pearl” Washington in the midst of a cultural renaissance.

Everything About Martin Suter. Everything but the Truth.

This film is not a classic portrait but a documentary using fiction to bring Martin Suter’s novels to life while introducing us to the author behind the stories on a whole new level. ‘Fantasy is usually more true than reality itself’ says Suter.

When We Speak

Three incredible stories of women who risked everything to tell the truth. Their stories became worldwide scandals and took a personal toll on each of their lives

O Seasons, O Castles

A short documentary on the chateaux of the Loire in France was commissioned by the French Tourist Bureau.

Pink Floyd: Inside Pink Floyd: A Critical Review 1975-1996

In this revised second edition of the ultimate critical guide to the work of Pink Floyd, you'll be privy to an embarrassment of riches from the band in concert, on record and on film, from "Wish You Were Here" to "Pulse." The program features the "last word" regarding reviews of both live and studio performances of songs from every Floyd album from the 21-year period, including "The Wall," "The Final Cut," "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" and more.

Cause of Life: Humberto

A hard-working bricklayer from the projects, Humberto Trujillo helped build the main Phoenix post office — and rose to become his city’s first Hispanic postmaster.

Victims of the Vikings

Adventurers, explorers and conquerors: the Vikings are considered the greatest heroes of the Middle Ages. Is this interpretation justified? In fact, they left a far darker and lesser-known mark on history: they were ruthless slavers, human traffickers and hostage-takers. „Victims of the Vikings“ is the first TV documentary to investigate this infamous and often horrifying aspect of the Nordic warriors.

Rangers72

A story of ancient lands and the spirit of the tribes that inhabit them, of rivalries and heritage; European invasions and corridor presentations, chaos, comedy and the transformative powers of the beautiful game.

Disney's Summer Magic Quest

Guided by host Yvette Nicole Brown, “ZOMBIES” superstars Meg Donnelly, Pearce Joza, Kylee Russell, and Matt Cornett will compete in an incredible summer quest and partake in challenges inside EPCOT during The World’s Most Magical Celebration – the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort.

Dimensions

Nine chapters, two hours of maths, that take you gradually up to the fourth dimension. Mathematical vertigo guaranteed!

The Last Angel of History

An examination of the hitherto unexplored relationships between Pan-African culture, science fiction, intergalactic travel, and rapidly progressing computer technology.