UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES A SEPARATION

伊朗導演阿斯加法哈迪以擅長刻劃信仰、道德與人性矛盾見稱， 《伊朗式分居》中的一對中產夫婦因移民問題產生分歧分居收場， 意料之外的是丈夫尼達僱用的女傭因意外小產，女傭更控告尼達 謀殺，連場法庭攻防，揭出的不但是案件真相，還有潛藏伊朗社 會的階層、倫理及宗教問題，層層遞進，對人性弱點既帶批判亦 不失同情，奠定日後《 伊朗式離婚 》、《 伊朗式英雄 》等相類題材 電影的基礎。《伊朗式分居》在柏林影展中一鳴驚人，更在亞洲電 影大獎囊括最佳電影、最佳編劇及最佳導演三項大獎，足證阿斯 加法哈迪功力。

Taking the spotlight again at the Asian Film Awards after his win for THE HOST, Korean director Bong Joon-ho continued to reflect on the plight of the marginalised in society. Male heartthrob Won Bin, in a departure from his usual roles, played a mentally challenged man accused of murder. Certain of her son’s innocence, the titular mother is determined to find the real murderer. Legendary actress Kim Hye-ja, lauded as the archetypal mother figure in Korea, played a mother who stops at nothing to rescue her son even when faced with bureaucracy and red tape. Kim Hye-ja gave the performance of a lifetime as a despondent and helpless mother, and deservedly won Best Actress at the Asian Film Awards over nominees Bae Doo-na, Li Bingbing, Matsu Takako and Sandrine Pinna.

In his body of work, Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul has always contemplated the soul’s journey after death and the symbiosis between human and nature. Uncle Boonmee, suffering from a failing kidney, decides to prepare himself for death by returning home to the countryside. He encounters the ghost of his deceased wife and his estranged son, appearing in the guise of a jungle creature. The titular character also reflects on his past lives which may have karmic connections to his current illness. In the film, Apichatpong Weerasethakul mused on life and death with ethereal sensibility and philosophical reflections. He crafted a unique style that perfectly blends myth and folklore, Thai history, cultural traditions, and Buddhist beliefs, making him one of the most original voices in Thai Cinema. For this film, Apichatpong Weerasethakul won the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival before winning Best Film at the Asian Film Awards.