Fantasia’09 Review: Breathless

South Korean film has had a strong presence at this year’s Fantasia, with many debut efforts by new voices of the dwindling ‘new wave’ movement. But even iconic filmmaker Park Chan-wook’s latest, Thirst, has failed to excite in the same way as the pioneer films. Yang Ik-June’s Breathless (Ddongpari) is the sole exception. It is a film that eschews polish for grit, and manages to find the humanity in even the most depraved people. For me, it is the only standout South Korean film of the festival, and among its best overall. Read more »