Minari

About

U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, Presented by Acura

It’s the 1980s, and David, a seven-year-old Korean American boy, is faced with new surroundings and a different way of life when his father, Jacob, moves their family from the West Coast to rural Arkansas. His mother, Monica, is aghast that they live in a mobile home in the middle of nowhere, and naughty little David and his sister are bored and aimless. When his equally mischievous grandmother arrives from Korea to live with them, her unfamiliar ways arouse David’s curiosity. Meanwhile, Jacob, hell-bent on creating a farm on untapped soil, throws their finances, his marriage, and the stability of the family into jeopardy.

Inspired by his own upbringing, writer-director Lee Isaac Chung creates a gorgeous, delicate American Dream story by infusing it with Korean melodrama and the playful charm of a Yasujiro Ozu film, as the Yi family embraces their highs and endures their lows. Each character is drawn with loving authenticity and depth, while Steven Yeun shines as Jacob, a man determined to achieve his dreams at all costs.

YEAR 2019

CATEGORY U.S. Dramatic Competition

COUNTRY U.S.A.

RUN TIME 115 min

LANGUAGE English and Korean

SUBTITLES Yes with English subtitles

COMPANY A24

WEBSITE https://a24films.com/

EMAIL info@a24films.com

PHONE (213) 610-8923

Credits

Director
Screenwriter
Producers
Executive Producers
Director of Photography
Production Designer
Costume Designer
Composer
Editor
Casting Director
actor

Artist Bio

Lee Isaac Chung

Lee Isaac Chung grew up in Lincoln, Arkansas, on a small farm in the Ozark Mountains. He is an award-winning writer and director. His first feature film was the Rwandan family drama Munyurangabo, which premiered at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival to great acclaim. His other feature films are Lucky Life and Abigail Harm. He received his BA in biology at Yale University and his MFA in film studies at the University of Utah.