Bong Joon-ho Retrospective

Overview

This year has been huge for Bong Joon-ho. Not only is the South Korean filmmaker responsible for one of 2019's best movies in Parasite, this same thrilling flick nabbed the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, took out Sydney Film Festival's top prize and has been named as its country's Oscar contender in the Best Foreign-Language category — all deservedly so.

Parasite isn't just a one-off, either. For nearly two decades, the acclaimed director has been making smart movies that continually surprise and delight — and continually defy categorisation, too. Bong delved into real-life murder mysteries in 2003's Memories of Murder, reinvented the creature feature with 2006 standout The Host, and used 2009's Mother to explore an unnerving family relationship.

More recently, Bong forced the remnants of humanity to fight for survival on a speeding train, with Snowpiercer enlisting Tilda Swinton, Chris Evans and Jamie Bell among the locomotive's scrambling inhabitants. And, in Okja, the filmmaker introduced the world to a cute super-pig, the girl who adores it and the ruthless corporate executive (Swinton again) looking to profit from it, as well as one incredibly offbeat TV zoologist (Jake Gyllenhaal).

If you're keen to rediscover these highlights, or perhaps catch them for the first time, the Korean Film Festival in Australia and Sydney Film Festival are joining forces for a two-day Bong retrospective. Screening at Dendy Opera Quays across Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28, it's free to attend — but you'll want to nab an online ticket in advance, as sessions are already booking out.