14th(2012)
PARK Jeong-one
Korogocho; a Kenyan slum in which the older women have become vulnerable to attack from younger men, fuelled by rumours that intercourse with an elderly woman can be a cure for AIDS. Now, a group of grandmothers come together to protect themselves - The eponymous Kung Fu Grannies.
The film begins with the scenery of a poor African village and its people, which is shown through the familiar reproduction methods of global media. However, it promptly starts to gain vitality with the scene of a group of elderly women noisily practicing their Kung Fu moves in a studio painted in primary color; and their lives become the subject of our curiosity. The shocking reason behind their Kung Fu practice is immediately revealed; but the film does not fall into sentimentalism or become a work that focuses only on issues like journalism. This is an outstanding piece of the short documentary created through the combination of reporting on reality, a feature of documentary, of feministic perspective, and of solid direction. (HWANG Miyojo)
Synopsis
Korogocho; a Kenyan slum in which the older women have become vulnerable to attack from younger men, fuelled by rumours that intercourse with an elderly woman can be a cure for AIDS. Now, a group of grandmothers come together to protect themselves - The eponymous Kung Fu Grannies.
Program Note
The film begins with the scenery of a poor African village and its people, which is shown through the familiar reproduction methods of global media. However, it promptly starts to gain vitality with the scene of a group of elderly women noisily practicing their Kung Fu moves in a studio painted in primary color; and their lives become the subject of our curiosity. The shocking reason behind their Kung Fu practice is immediately revealed; but the film does not fall into sentimentalism or become a work that focuses only on issues like journalism. This is an outstanding piece of the short documentary created through the combination of reporting on reality, a feature of documentary, of feministic perspective, and of solid direction. (HWANG Miyojo)
PARK Jeong-onePARK Jeong-one
PARK Jeong-one grew up in Seoul, South Korea, and studied documentary directing at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her degree film projects include Out of Garden, a self-portrait documentary showcased for Channel 4, I Crossed the River and Kung Fu Grandma. She is currently working as an independent documentary filmmaker based in London, UK.