Canadian drama at Berninneit
The Phillip Island Movie Club (PIMC) presents Riceboy Sleeps at Berninneit on Wednesday, June 19 at 7pm.
The 2022 Canadian drama was directed, written and produced by Anthony Shim.
It begins showing So-young (Choi Seung-yoon) who was left on the steps of a South Korean temple as a baby in 1960. Raised in orphanages, she left as soon as possible and worked all hours before meeting a young student. The two became inseparable before his mental health problems led him to commit suicide, leaving her with a newborn son.
A move to Canada is a way of escaping shame and making a fresh start. In Korean and Japanese cultures, a family is shamed when a member commits suicide and none more than the wife. This has to be understood to see that So-young really had no choice, other than to immigrate for a fresh start.
This film is about immigration and loss of self and the associated problem that you never feel truly at home. In Canada you feel too Korean and in Korea you feel too Canadian. The multi-cultural issues of food and language that immigrants face is also explored.
The film is biographical and covers three stages of his life, moving to Canada, his teenage years and finally his journey to find his roots. Shim feels finding and following your roots is vital to establishing a confident sense of self. The cinematography used reflects this story, Canada is filmed as cramped and dark and Korea is in width and colour that gives a sense of space and peace. The Korean scenes are all shot in the village where Shim came from.
"Riceboy Sleeps is a beautiful, touching film, sharing the very intimate details of their lives. The film is not judgemental, and you feel it is still part of Shim's journey in coming to terms with finding his true identity," said Movie Club secretary Margaret Byrne.
The film runs for one hour 57 minutes and is rated M. It starts at 7pm and it's recommended you prebook your seat prior to the night as bookings are already high.
The next PIMC film on July 31 2024 is Driving Madelaine.
All PIMC films are now members only events so you need to bring your membership card and proof of booking.
