Okinawa Taps MR. GO and MISS GRANNY

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Okinawa Taps MR. GO and MISS GRANNY

Feb 25, 2014

Writer by Pierce Conran
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Korean Fantasies Prop Up Laugh and Peace Comp

The Okinawa International Film Festival will present two Korean films in its signature ‘Laugh and Peace Competition’ during its 6th edition next month. Big budget family sports drama Mr. Go will compete along with current Lunar New Year comedy hit Miss Granny. The Korean films join the 11-strong lineup that comprises five Japanese comedies and other works from the US, India, Denmark and Germany.

Budgeted at around KRW 25 billion (USD 22.25 million), Showbow/Mediaplex’s Mr. Go, from director KIM Yong-hwa (Take Off [2009]), is an ambitious live action work featuring a 3D baseball-playing gorilla. Though not a hit in Korea the film demonstrated stronger returns in China. Mr. Go features Chinese actress JIAO Xu and Chinese investors Huayi Brothers also accounted for one quarter of the production costs.

HWANG Dong-hyuk’s Miss Granny, the director’s follow up to his 2011 hit Silenced, is currently drawing in large crowds in Korea, having already accrued over 7.7 million admissions. In the film, NA Moon-he stars as a cantankerous grandmother who suddenly finds herself in the body of a 20-year-old (SHIM Eun-kyoung).

Last year’s Okinawa festival featured three Korean features (Sunny [2011], I Am the King [2012], Architecture 101) and KIM Dong-ho’s short Jury. The 6th Okinawa International Film Festival will take place from March 20th to 24th.

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