NO REGRET
Beautiful,
daring, and haunting, No
Regret represents a
breakthrough for both Korean
queer cinema and independent
filmmaking. Opening in only
a handful of theaters, the
gay-themed film not only
garnered great reviews, it
also managed to attract
40,000 moviegoers, setting a
new box office record for an
indie film.
No Regret is the
debut feature from Leesong
Hee Il, Korea's first openly
gay filmmaker. Leesong has
long been a familiar name in
the festival circuit, having
directed the acclaimed short
films "Sugar Hill", "Good
Romance", and "La Traviata",
which was a part of the
omnibus Camellia Project
- Three Queer Stories at
Bogil Island. In No
Regret, he continues to
delicately explore universal
themes of love and sexuality
set against uncommon
relationships.
No Regret presents
complex, well-rounded
characters that do not
occupy convenient
stereotypes. Lee Young Hoon,
who starred in Leesong's
"Good Romance", gives a
stirring performance
opposite Lee Han, who also
appeared in last year's
award-winning indie film
Don't Look Back. The two
young actors portray men of
vastly different
backgrounds, and the film
subtly brings out issues of
class structure and gay
culture with both gravitas
and good humor. The story is
anything but predictable,
capturing both the beauty
and sorrow of love,
heartache, and a life lived
with No Regret.
Turning 18 years of age,
Su Min (Lee Young Hoon)
leaves his orphanage and
moves to
Seoul, working
various jobs to save up
money for university. After
losing his job at the
factory, Su Min ends up
working as a male escort at
a gay bar. Already close to
hitting rock bottom, Su
Min's life gets both more
chaotic and more meaningful
when Jae Min (Lee Han) walks
into his life. Coming from a
wealthy, conservative
background, Jae Min keeps
his sexual orientation
hidden from his family.
Although he is already
engaged, Jae Min is willing
to give up everything to be
with Su Min, and the two
fall into a passionate
relationship. But when the
realities of life catch up,
love may not be enough.
IN
ADDITION TO THE REGULAR
MOVIE, WE WILL PRESENT A
SHORT FILM
