23rd New York Asian Film Festival

July 12-28, 2024

Photo: ©Annapurna Films

North American Premiere

FAQ

막걸리가 알려줄거야

In her delightfully unorthodox feature debut, director Kim Da-min weaves a tapestry of magical realism and inventiveness, drawing upon her animation background to create a world where a bottle of rice wine becomes a conduit for a young girl's existential musings: Dong-chun, a precocious and exceptionally smart child, overwhelmed by her parents' zeal for extracurricular activities, from Taekwondo to Persian lessons, finds unexpected solace in the cryptic messages of her newfound sentient alcohol oracle, which leads her on a series of strange adventures. The seamless juxtaposition of adult and child perspectives offers a poignant commentary on the human condition, as Dong-chun's inventive alchemy becomes a means of divining not only the future but also the very meaning of life. With the storyline taking on a more whimsical tone, Kim's assured direction ensures that the film never loses its emotional depth, creating a work that is as thought-provoking as it is enchanting.

Director: Kim Da-min
Producer: Bae Sun-Hye
Cast: Park Na-eun, Park Hyo-ju, Kim Hie-won
Languages: Korean with English subtitles
2023; 92 min.

SCHEDULE:

Saturday July 13, 1:00pm
Film at Lincoln Center

Intro and Q&A with director Kim Da-min and producer Lee Anna

Kim Da-min
김다민

Kim Da-min’s childhood passion for animation inspired her to become a filmmaker. After studying film at the Korea Animation High School and majoring in psychology and cultural anthropology at Yonsei university, she began making short films in 2009. Her 2019 sci-fi short Ungbi and Non-human Friends played festivals internationally. Her stunningly original feature debut, FAQ, was developed from a short that was in an anthology called I Am A Banana. She has since written the Netflix series Killer Paradox, which premiered in February 2024.