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Poetry
시
2010 139 min South Korea 16+
★8.1
Drama
Director: Lee Chang-dong
Trailers
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EN
Description
A South Korean woman in her sixties enrolls in a poetry class as she grapples with her faltering memory and her grandson's appalling wrongdoing.
US Gross:
$356,149
Worldwide:
$349,899
Starring
Yun Jeong-hie
Actor
Lee Da-wit
Actor
Kim Hee-ra
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2010
— Best Screenplay
Asian Film Academy 2011
— Best Screenplay
Cannes Film Festival 2010
— Ecumenical Jury Prize – Special Mention
Asian Film Academy 2011
— Best Picture
Cannes Film Festival 2010
— Ecumenical Jury Prize – Special Mention
Asian Film Academy 2011
— Best Director
Key opinion
Poetry is a profound, meditative exploration of humanity, juxtaposing the beauty of the natural world against the cruelty of modern society. Through the transformative journey of an elderly woman, the film serves as a rigorous, soul-searching inquiry into the cost of artistic creation and the possibility of finding light amidst personal and systemic darkness.
| Acting | Yoon Jeong-hee delivers a soul-stirring, nuanced performance that perfectly captures her character's internal pain and resilience. | |
| Pacing | Lee Chang-dong employs a deliberate, unhurried pace that rewards the attentive viewer by slowly revealing profound existential depth. | |
| Cinematography | The film utilizes painterly, nature-focused imagery to create a sensory experience that mirrors the protagonist’s awakening to the world. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative expertly synthesizes mundane domestic life with high-stakes moral conflict, resulting in a complex, award-winning structure. | |
| Pacing | Critics are divided on whether the deliberate, contemplative tempo is an essential, meditative strength or an exhausting, slow-moving experience. |