Re:Beineix Caps First Seoul French Filmfest

와우.. 영화를 보면서 코믹한 요소를 발견하긴 했지만.. 진짜 코메디의 진수를 보여주고 싶었다는 건. 정말 의왼데요.. '죽음의 전이' 참 괜찮은 영화였습니다. 상업성에 밀려서 우리나라에서는 빛을 못본다고 하니까 더욱 아쉽네요.. --------------------- [원본 메세지] --------------------- Beineix Caps First Seoul French Filmfest ``This is my first time in Korea. I am very happy to be here and to meet the Korean audience that has seen my films.'' So said Jean-Jacques Beineix, but those who were made even happier by his visit to Korea were his Korean fans, who gave an enthusiastic welcome to the multitalented French filmmaker. In the Q&A session held after the screening of Beineix's film ``Mortal Transfer'' (``Mortel transfert'') (2000), around 400 fans stuck around and bombarded him with questions about his film and the director himself. Beineix, best-known in Korea for his films ``Diva'' (1981) and ``Betty Blue'' (``37(2 le Matin'') (1986), came to take part in the First Seoul French Film Festival, a filmfest premiering a number of the latest films from France that continues till June 29 at the Central Cinema complex in southern Seoul. Beineix came as a part of a group of delegates representing French cinema _ two directors, four actors and actresses, as well as a number of film industry officials _ including director Gerard Corbiau, well-known for his film ``Farinelli'' (1994), and actor Benoit Magimel, who received the prize for Best Actor in ``The Piano Teacher'' (``La Pianiste'') (2001) at this year's Cannes Film Festival. So what finally induced the director to visit Korea? ``Since around 10 years ago, when the Yokohama French film festival began, I always wondered why there were no such festivals in other countries, especially in neighboring Korea,'' said Beineix in an interview with The Korea Times. ``I think that this festival marks a very important evolution in the relations between Korea and France, as well as between Korean and French cinema. I hope that this festival will provide momentum in establishing ties between the cinema of the two countries,'' he added. His film ``Mortel Transfert'' is both a psycho-thriller and a black comedy that centers around a psychoanalyst who awakes after dozing off during a session and finds to his horror that his patient has been strangled on his couch. Throughout the film, the analyst is drawn deeper and deeper into an entanglement of events that involves everyone around him. Various genres are intertwined in his new film, which broke his eight-year absence from directing films. ``In this film, I wanted to fuse elements of different genres such as comedy and thriller, as well as add elements of psychology, the erotic, the romantic and the surrealist. I wanted to show something grave with a certain derision,'' explained Beineix. ``For me, this film is above all a comedy _ a black and macabre comedy. Although there are moments of comedy in my other films, in this film, I wanted to show a true comedy.'' The film delves into the murky depths of the subconscious and memories of childhood, as shown in the title of the film. ``The word `transfert' in the title indicates the relationship between the patient and the psychoanalyst according to Freud. The patient establishes an affectionate relationship with the psychoanalyst and transfers it to the relationship with their mother and father. The affection brings back memories and cures the patient,'' he explained. ``There is also the original meaning of the word. You can `transfer' money, merchandise, information and also a body. It is like a `jeu de mot.' The word can be interpreted in two ways _ in a figurative sense and the proper sense.'' Though Beineix studied medicine during college, the ruling passion in his life has always been the cinema. ``I liked going to the movies since I was very young. I was entranced by the cinema. At first I was only interested as a spectator, without knowing the techniques of making a film. When I became a teenager, I began to be interested in how movies are made. Now filmmaking is a not only an occupation, but also a passion,'' said Beineix. ``I think that cinema allows me to incorporate all the other genres of art that I am interested in, especially the fine arts such as painting, sculpture, music and choreography. I can use cinema as a means to convey to others an emotion or a reality through filmmaking techniques. Cinema is an art that can reflect on all the others.'' Looking ahead, the 54-year-old director has another comedy in the works. ``I am planning a grand comedy about vampires. The vampires are depicted as more sympathetic than people. The main characters are two kind, gentle vampires who have had so many soft drinks and hamburgers that they have forgotten how to suck human blood. So they go in search of an old vampire from the 13th century for help.'' Another big occasion in his life is the birth of his firstborn child expected next month. Although Beineix confessed that he did not have many chances to watch Korean films till now, he expressed a desire to discover Korean cinema through his first visit in Korea. ``I have wanted to come to Korea for 20 years. I have been to Russia, Canada, and to many countries in Europe and Asia, as well as 10 trips to the U.S. and 40 to Japan. But I always found it strange and even annoying how fate has managed to keep me from Korea all these years. I am glad that I am finally here and hope to return soon.'' - from 'Korea Times'