Revisit South Korean Auteur Lee Chang-dong’s Iconic Films with Metrograph Retrospective ‘Novel Encounters’

South Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong is getting his flowers stateside, thanks to a retrospective exhibit curated by New York’s Metrograph Theater. Titled “Novel Encounters: the Films of Lee Chang-dong,” the upcoming program is headlined by the New York premieres of four new 4K restorations of Lee’s directorial works, including “Green Fish” (1997), “Peppermint Candy” (1999), “Oasis” (2002), and “Poetry” (2010). “Novel Encounters” runs from April 5 through 27.

“We are thrilled to present a retrospective of Lee Chang-dong’s outstanding body of work, celebrating him as one of the most esteemed auteurs in contemporary cinema,” Metrograph’s Director of Programming Inge de Leeuw said. “Each film in this retrospective delves into the profound complexities of the human condition. As big admirers of his filmmaking, we are delighted to bring his compassionate films to the big screen and we are proud to work with the North American distributor Film Movement to present the restored versions of his early films to our audiences, offering a unique opportunity to experience the depth of his storytelling in the cinematic realm.”

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Lee added, “It brings me great delight and thrill to hold my retrospective at the esteemed Metrograph, renowned as a cherished haven for cinephiles in New York. The six films curated for this retrospective each serve as vessels for my earnest contemplations on life, society, and humanity, each in their own way. I hope that as you, the audience, engage with these films, you may ponder these questions and find your own answers.”

Lee began his career with the publication of novel “Chonri” in 1983. His feature directorial debut film was “Green Fish,” which incorporated his screenwriting and assistant directing experiences on Park Kwang-su’s “To the Starry Island.” His filmography, including namely “Oasis,” has been long-rumored to land English-language remakes. Now, the restoration of Lee’s key iconic films are landing stateside with New York premieres courtesy of Film Movement.

“Film Movement is proud to present restorations of ‘Green Fish,’ ‘Peppermint Candy,’ ‘Oasis,’ and ‘Poetry’ to North American audiences this spring,” Film Movement Director of Exhibition Erin Farrell said. “All four films explore themes of love, isolation, and tragedy with profound depth of feeling unique to director Lee, who represents a major voice in both South Korean and international cinema. We could not have asked for a better partner in bringing these restorations to NY audiences than Metrograph, and are incredibly excited to have them premiere as part of this retrospective on Lee’s career.”

Each restoration title, which are being released by Film Movement Classics in North America, will have a week-long run at the esteemed Lower East Side repertory and first-run cinema, marking their U.S. Theatrical Premieres.

In addition to the new 4K restorations of four selected works, “Novel Encounters” includes a screening of Lee’s “Burning,” which was South Korea’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards. Lee’s 2007 Cannes award-winning film “Secret Sunshine” will screen alongside a filmmaker-curated duo of his most celebrated and valued writing and producing efforts: Ouni Lecomte’s “A Brand New Life” and July Jung’s “A Girl at My Door.”

Check out IndieWire’s exclusive trailers for “Peppermint Candy” and “Poetry” below.

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