South Korea, 1997, 111 min 
Direction: Lee Chang-dong
Cast: Suk- Kyu, Shim Hye-Jin, Moon Sung-Keun
Awards: best actor, Baek Sang Art Awards,1997; best actor, best film, Blue Dragon Award, 1997; best actor Grand Bell Award, 1997; Netpac Award-Special Mention, International Film Festival in Roterdam,1998; Dragons and Tigers Award, International Film Festival in Vancouver, 1997; nominations: Golden Alexander, Film festival in Thessalonica,1997.
Selection: Retrospective of a Foreign Author
Green Fish, made by Korean director Lee Chang-dong, is going to be shown within the program of Retrospective of a Foreign Author Selection. From a social and realistic aspect, with elements of poetic reflections, the movie presents weaknesses of modern society with concerning consequences, such as diminishing the essential human values.
After serving the army, young Makdong returns home, to a suburb of Seoul which became “a Korean dream” alive – quicken modernization of Korea in past thirty years. With the modernization a lot has changed, among other things, natural landscapes – rice fields have been replaced with concrete blocks. Makdong’s brother seems to be the only one who is happy for his return. The other brother has left home searching for a career. Makdong also decides to go to a nearby Youndeungpo to find a job. He meets Miae, a singer in a night club, and through her he gets in touch with local criminals, with Bea Tae-Gon in charge. Through him, Makdong manages to find a financially satisfactory job, but it is a one way path to the local mafia. Things get complicated when Bea Tae-Gon’s ex boss gets out of prison with a strong ambition to regain his power…
