A Midsummer's Fantasia

A Midsummer's Fantasia
Theatrical poster
Directed byJang Kun-jae
Written byJang Kun-jae
Produced byNaomi Kawase
Jang Kun-jae
StarringKim Sae-byuk
Iwase Ryo
Lim Hyung-kook
CinematographyFujii Masayuki
Edited byJang Kun-jae
Lee Yeon-jung
Music byLee Min-whee
Production
company
Mocushura
Release dates
  • September 2014 (2014-09) (5th Nara International Film Festival)
  • June 11, 2015 (2015-06-11) (South Korea)
Running time
97 minutes
CountriesSouth Korea
Japan
LanguagesKorean
Japanese
Box officeUS$255,211[1]

A Midsummer's Fantasia (Korean: 한여름의 판타지아; RR: Han Yeoreumui Pantajia) is a 2014 Korea-Japan co-production film commissioned by the Nara International Film Festival (NIFF). Written and directed by Jang Kun-jae, the film was co-produced with world-renowned filmmaker Naomi Kawase. It made its debut as the opening film of the 5th Nara International Film Festival in September 2014.[2]

Plot

The film is structured into two halves. Part one First Love, Yoshiko, shot in monochrome and documentary-like, deals with a Korean filmmaker researching to shoot a film in Gojo City, Japan. While Part two Well of Sakura, in colour, tells a tale of romance between a Korean actress and a Japanese man from the area inspired by the research from Part one.[3][4][5]

Cast

Production

A Midsummer's Fantasia is a film commission for the Nara International Film Festival (NIFF). The NARAtive is a project to make an original film in Nara prefecture, funded by NIFF.[2][6]

It was shot in Gojo, a small city in the Nara prefecture, for 11 days during a monthlong stay.

Reception

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2014 19th Busan International Film Festival DGK Award A Midsummer's Fantasia Won
2015 24th Buil Film Awards Best New Actress Kim Sae-byuk Nominated
35th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards[7] FIPRESCI Award A Midsummer's Fantasia Won
16th Asiatica Film Mediale - Encounters with Asian Cinema[8] Jury Prize for Best Film A Midsummer's Fantasia Won
16th Busan Film Critics Awards[9] Best Screenplay Jang Kun-jae Won
Association of Korean Independent Film & Video[9] Best Independent Film A Midsummer's Fantasia Won
2016 3rd Wildflower Film Awards Best Director (Narrative Films) Jang Kun-jae Nominated
Best Actor Iwase Ryo Nominated
Best Actress Kim Sae-byuk Nominated
Best Screenplay Jang Kun-jae Nominated
Best Cinematography Fujii Masayuki Won
52nd Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actress (Film) Kim Sae-byuk Nominated

References

  1. ^ "A Midsummer's Fantasia (2015)". Archived from the original on 2016-02-14. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
  2. ^ a b Conran, Pierce (19 September 2014). "INTERVIEW Jang Kun-jae Director by A Midsummer's Fantasia". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  3. ^ Lee, Yong-cheol (28 February 2014). "JANG Kunjae, Director of A MIDSUMMER'S FANTASIA "I Dream of Living as a Fulltime Filmmaker"". Korean Cinema Today. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  4. ^ Bechervaise, Jason (9 October 2014). "A Midsummer's Fantasia". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  5. ^ "A Midsummer's Fantasia". VIFF. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  6. ^ "Nara International Film Festival (Japan)". Nara International Film Festival. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  7. ^ Conran, Pierce (2 November 2015). "THE THRONE Tops Korean Association of Film Critics Awards". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  8. ^ Conran, Pierce (14 December 2014). "Best Film for A MIDSUMMER'S FANTASIA at Asiatica Film Mediale". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
  9. ^ a b Conran, Pierce (12 January 2016). "A MIDSUMMER'S FANTASIA Scoops Best Korean Indie Prize". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2016-08-23.