Review by Kiefer Doerksen.

Dimmer is the debut film from South Korean director Kim Sam-Ryeok. It’s a mostly autobiographical look at the Korean independence movement and the making of low budget films. The story follows Sang-Ho, who is asked by a filmmaker friend to produce a short film. Sang-Ho has little interest in movies and has seen few but is quickly entranced by the process, soon trying to direct features himself. Sang-Ho, by his own account, is lacking in creative talent but continues trying to get his films made. This is a struggle as everyone in the industry frowns on his lack of experience and knowledge. One scene, poking fun at the pretentiousness of film students, features Sang-Ho being grilled on what his favorite Tarkovsky film is. He, of course, has no idea who Tarkovsky is. Sang-Ho’s father does not approve of his chosen profession and the cost of filmmaking constantly brings him close to poverty.

The movie is shot in Sony HD in black and white and looks beautiful, nearly identical to celluloid. The film suffers from some repetitiveness; we see Sang-Ho acting in despair over and over again, getting evicted and losing his cast and crew. While the film is generally light-hearted, it is, suprisingly, rarely funny. Dimmer is, however, an unflinching look into the independent film industry. It also delivers a thoughtful message: no matter what your talent is, you have to keep pushing for success.

The screening of Dimmer was preceded by two short films. The first, To Suicide is to Live, is a video performance piece where the artist covers himself in paint. When he apparently dies, the paint dissolves from his skin. The second film, Cloudy, Rainy, is a gorgeous cinematic poem about a girl’s affection for another girl. It is told through striking still photography with some computer enhancements. It is, however, the sound effects that really draw the viewer into this stunning piece of art.

Dimmer
Kim Sam-Ryeok | South Korea | 2007 | 85min

Tue. Oct. 2 | 9:30pm | VanCity Theatre
Wed. Oct. 3 | 3:45pm | VanCity Theatre