Masterclass: Bong Joon Ho

In 2001, Bong Joon Ho presented his feature debut Barking Dogs Never Bite in Rotterdam. At the time, IFFR picked him out as one of the big talents of Korean cinema. Since then, Bong has more than lived up to expectations, becoming a leading light in global cinema, not just in Korea.

Many of his films (Memories of Murder, The Host, Mother and several shorts) have screened at IFFR but Bong, who combines box-office success with artistic achievement, was never able to return to Rotterdam. Until this year.

The festival is thrilled to present the Masterclass: Bong Joon Ho, in which the director will talk in depth about his career and oeuvre. In addition, Bong will be bringing a special treat: a black-and-white version of his most recent film, Palme d'Or winner Parasite.

Parasite, which interweaves the lives of an extremely wealthy and a rather poor family, is an astonishing mix of genres: comedy, horror, drama and much more. The film was almost unanimously praised as a masterpiece by the critics. Bong, a huge cinema lover, explains his desire to make a black-and-white version of Parasite in part from his love of the black-and-white classics of film history. His presence in Rotterdam will not be a one-way street; while the audience at the masterclass will be able to ask him any question they like, he himself is very curious about the impact Parasite will have in black and white. "I can't wait to listen to Rotterdam audiences after the B/W version is screened", he says.

Wed 29 Jan, 16:00, Hilton Le Jardin, €9/€6