Planet of Snail
If you watch one film this Film Festival, make it Planet of Snail.
The exquisitely gentle Planet of Snail, top prize winner at the Amsterdam Documentary Festival, finds the inspirational in the everyday. This patient, immersive and appropriately tactile film follows the daily routine of a deafblind man, Cho Young-chan, who lives in a small Korean town with his tiny wife, Soon-ho. Despite his dependence on his 'shadow friend', he lives a life of quiet determination and considerable accomplishment, studying Hebrew, writing poetry, making sculptures, and scripting a play to be performed by a bunch of his blind friends at the local church. Lesser tasks prove more demanding: diminutive Soon-ho and blind Young-chan have to work together in order to change a fluorescent bulb in their bedroom. Their relationship is so smooth and symbiotic that friends and colleagues are concerned that Young-chan might be losing his independence, and promote a forced separation to prove his ability to survive on his own. Director Yi Seung-jun follows their triumphs and disappointments with a wonderful intimacy that matches that of the central couple.
This film is in Korean with English subtitles. Our deafblind services team is working hard to produce a transcript, so that even if you cannot attend the film, you can still enjoy this amazing story. If you would like access to a transcript, please contact ecuttiford@rnzfb.org.nz.
Film times:
Auckland Film Festival
Wednesday 1 August - 6:30pm at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket
Friday 3 August - 12:30pm at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket
Sunday 5 August - 6:00pm at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
To buy tickets please go to the Auckland Film Festival website
Wellington Film Festival
Saturday 28 July - 5:45pm at Soundings Theatre, Te Papa.
Thursday 9 August - 6:15pm at The Film Archive
Saturday 11 August - 6:30pm at The Film Archive
Sunday 12 August - 6:45pm at The Film Archive
To buy tickets please go to the Wellington Film Festival website
