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Film Archive

Snowpiercer

Horizons 2014 / Seolguk-yeolcha / South Korea, USA, France, Czech Republic 2013

After a second Ice Age chilled the earth, several thousand survivors packed into a train that has been traveling for 17 years. In the tail of the relentless Snowpiercer, however, the oppressed masses are gradually losing patience.… Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, and John Hurt star in a sensational sci-fi thriller from the creator of Memories of Murder and The Host.

Snowpiercer Snowpiercer

Synopsis

After a second Ice Age chilled the earth, several thousand survivors packed into a train that has been traveling for 17 years. In the tail of the relentless Snowpiercer, the oppressed masses are gradually losing patience, prevented by a small, well-armed force from moving forwards toward the engine and confronting Wilford, the mysterious creator of the express. Korean master of the art-house genre flick Bong Joon-ho shot this dystopian spectacular as his first English-language film, basing it on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige, published in 1982. Made at Prague’s Barrandov Studios, this blockbuster with its philosophical subtext came into being with the considerable support of production designer Ondřej Nekvasil, the internationally renowned Czech art director and stage designer. The diverse yet flawless and compelling cast traveling on this train include Chris Evans (Captain America), John Hurt (The Elephant Man), Octavia Spencer (Fruitvale), Song Kang-ho (The Host), Tilda Swinton (Orlando), and Ed Harris (Pollock).

About the film

125 min / Color, DCP

Director Bong Joon-ho / Screenplay Bong Joon-ho / Dir. of Photography Hong Kyung-pyo / Music Marco Beltrami / Editor Steve M. Choe, Kim Chang-Ju / Producer Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun, Tae-sung Jeong / Production Moho Film / Coproduction Opus Pictures, CJ Entertainment / Cast Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Ed Harris, Octavia Spencer / Contact CJ Entertainment Inc. / Distributor Bontonfilm, a.s.

About the director

Bong Joon-ho

Bong Joon-ho (b. 1969, Seoul, South Korea) studied sociology and graduated from the Korean Film Academy. He debuted in features with Barking Dogs Never Bite (Peullandaseueui gae, 2000). Although the film went fairly unnoticed at domestic cinemas, at foreign festivals there was talk of a talent to be reckoned with. His next film, Memories of Murder (Sarinui chueok, 2003), was presented in the Another View section at KVIFF 2004. Soon even at home the director joined the ranks of the most vital and original Korean directors of the new millennium. His third film, The Host (Goimool, 2006), became a major domestic box-office success, with dozens of foreign engagements (festival and distribution). Bong’s films competently combine generic constructs with social and political agendas. After premiering at Cannes, his drama Mother (2009) took nearly 20 awards.

Contacts

Bontonfilm, a.s.
Na Poříčí 1047/26, 110 00, Praha 1
Czech Republic
Phone: +420 257 415 111
E-mail: [email protected]

CJ Entertainment Inc.
26th Fl., Parnas Tower 521, Teheran-ro, 06 164, Seoul
Korea (Democratic People's Republic of)
E-mail: [email protected]

Guests

Ondřej Nekvasil
Film Crew

Bong Joon-ho
Film Director

T.J. Park
Producer

Daniel Dušek
Distributor

Martin Palán
Distributor, Producer

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