Kim Dong-ho, a lifetime of service to cinema
In Walking in the Movies, her documentary screened in Cannes Classics, filmmaker Lyang Kim details the odd trajectory of the former Korean producer Kim Dong-ho, who dedicated his career to the development of his country’s film industry, from the creation of the Busan Festival to that of the Tiger Cinema production company.
Nicknamed “the godfather” by his peers for his pivotal contribution to the boom in the Korean film industry throughout his career, Kim Dong-ho is unanimously acclaimed as one of his country’s leading figures in the area of culture, specifically the Seventh Art.
In her new feature film, Walking in the Moviesfilmmaker Lyang Kim paints a portrait of this 86-year-old man who managed the Busan International film festival until his retirement in 2010. He was instrumental in protecting the event through periods of political turbulence that affected him so much that he made it Asia’s leading film event.
Shot over the course of a year starting in February 2023, Walking in the Movies visits the landmarks in Kim Dong-ho’s career and life: the audience is immerged in the Seoul Arts Centre, the port of Busan, the Festival de Cannes, and the streets of his home village of Gwanju.
This documentary describes a man of unfailing commitment and instinctive creativity who tirelessly served the movie industry. It is structured around testimonials from film personalities who collaborated with him: Lee Chang-dong, Lee Jeong-hyang, Shin Suwon, Park Jeong-ja, and Hirokazu Kore-eda.
The film’s voice-over is provided by another famous name in current Korean movies: actress Ye Ji-won. This is Lyang Kim’s fourth film. She previously explored anthropological themes in her previous films: Forbidden Fatherland (2020), Resident Forever (2016), and Dream House By The Border (2013).
A ZONE Film and Kookje Daily News coproduction, with the participation of the Busan Committee for Local Press.
In the presence of Dong-ho Kim and Lyang Kim.
