BENGALURU: Going down memory lane, Kim Ki-duk, aka Kim Ki, was the first international director I have met. It was with great sorrow that I heard the news of his death in Latvia, after he suffered from Covid-19. His films had great quality. If memory serves me right, it was in 2013 when I first heard his name. Initially, it sounded like a fruit to me. However, the buzz made in The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) made me to go to the theatre to watch his film.
It was overflowing with so many people that I thought of going back after seeing the crowd. Thanks to my friend who was volunteering, I somehow managed a seat and watched Spring, Summer, Fall,Winter... and Spring. The Korean film was beautiful, it’s the story of life and the circle of sin. I fell in love with the director.
The next thing I did was run through the movie catalogue. I saw that a movie called Arirang was coming up next. From the description, I came to know that it was shot by Kim Ki himself. I knew there was no way I was going to miss it. Therefore, this time I reserved the seat and went. But here again, the theatre was brimming with people.
This was also the first time I got the chance of hearing people chanting a director’s name – “Kim Ki, Kim Ki...” – Until then, I had heard the same only for actors. Once the film was done, my friend and I got into a deep discussion. “Why are people clapping for nothing?,” my friend asked.
However, I opposed his thoughts. It’s a self-made documentary where he places himself in front of the camera and it’s a confessional portrait. Kim Ki was discussing the things that happened while shooting his earlier film Dream, which make him withdraw from filmmaking altogether. In the documentary, he is asking his shadow, “Why can’t you make films now?”. Even after seven years, that dialogue echoes in my mind at times. “Sabu, why can’t you make films now?”
Maybe because of that constant echo, my movie Life Is Beautiful happened and I got the courage to helm a film with my co-director Arunkumar M. To put it briefly, Arirang is an experimental film at odds with convention.
I consider myself lucky to have watched Arirang with Kim Ki-duk a couple of rows away in the same theatre. He was a guest for the screening. When the film was done, I rushed over to see him, but it was too crowded to go anywhere near him. It, however, didn’t stop me. I followed him for a while and I got the chance to shake hands with him. Even though I couldn’t speak to him, this small gesture alone is something I will cherish my whole life.(The author is a filmmaker who is currently based in the city)