[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Header” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_type=”circular” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”top left” background_color_gradient_stops=”rgba(255,255,255,0.89) 30%|rgba(255,255,255,0) 80%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(255,255,255,0.89)” background_color_gradient_start_position=”30%” background_color_gradient_end=”rgba(255,255,255,0)” background_color_gradient_end_position=”80%” background_image=”https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/broker-film-hits-singapore-big-screens.jpg” background_position=”bottom_left” background_blend=”multiply” width=”100%” min_height=”100px” custom_margin=”-12px||194px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”-50px||194px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”8vw|1px|0|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.49)” transform_translate_linked=”off” min_height=”192px” custom_margin=”160px|auto|150px|auto|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”61px|48px|61px|48px|true|true” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ text_font=”Montserrat|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”46px” text_line_height=”1.2em” header_font=”Raleway|700|||||||” header_font_size=”80px” header_2_font_size=”28px” header_5_font=”Raleway|700||on|||||” header_5_text_color=”#000000″ header_5_font_size=”20px” header_5_letter_spacing=”0.5em” header_5_line_height=”1.8em” custom_margin=”-30px||-2px|0px|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”-25px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”|90px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px|||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” animation_style=”zoom” animation_intensity_zoom=”5%” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”33px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” text_line_height_tablet=”” text_line_height_phone=”1.2em” text_line_height_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”48px” header_font_size_phone=”28px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_5_font_size_tablet=”14px” header_5_font_size_phone=”12px” header_5_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” text_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Brok<\/i><\/b>er: Family is not always by Blood, but by Heart<\/b><\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ text_font=”Montserrat|500|||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”15px” header_font=”Montserrat||||||||” header_font_size=”80px” header_5_font=”Raleway|700||on|||||” header_5_text_color=”#000000″ header_5_font_size=”20px” header_5_letter_spacing=”0.5em” header_5_line_height=”1.8em” width=”83.3%” min_height=”0px” custom_margin=”0px|129px|-35px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”10px|0px|0px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”|63px|||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px|||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” animation_style=”zoom” animation_intensity_zoom=”5%” text_line_height_tablet=”” text_line_height_phone=”1.8em” text_line_height_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”48px” header_font_size_phone=”32px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_5_font_size_tablet=”14px” header_5_font_size_phone=”12px” header_5_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” text_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n CELEST THAM reviews <\/span>Broker, <\/span><\/i>Hirokazu Kore-eda\u2019s latest family drama that was inspired by the phenomenon of baby boxes in Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-194px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ min_height=”84px” custom_margin=”-67px|auto||auto||” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”-145px|auto|-100px|auto|false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ text_font=”Montserrat|300|||||||” custom_margin=”-30px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Cannes winning film, <\/span>Broker,<\/span><\/i> hit Singapore\u2019s big screens in June 2022. Photo taken from <\/span>Zip Cinema<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”About Us” _builder_version=”4.16″ min_height=”1463px” custom_margin=”-136px||-385px|||” custom_padding=”107px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_5,3_5,1_5″ custom_padding_last_edited=”off|desktop” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-55px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”-35px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”2px|0|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||0px||true” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ text_font=”Montserrat||||||||” text_line_height=”1.5em” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Raleway|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”50px” header_2_line_height=”1.4em” header_5_font=”Montserrat||||||||” header_5_text_color=”#b3b3b3″ header_5_font_size=”14px” header_5_line_height=”0.5em” header_6_font=”Raleway|700||on|||||” header_6_font_size=”16px” header_6_letter_spacing=”5px” header_6_line_height=”1.8em” max_width=”659px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”0px|79px|104px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”-40px|79px|0px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”|0px||||” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”15px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”35px” header_2_font_size_phone=”25px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n BY <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/popcorn.png” disabled_on=”on|on|off” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ width=”350px” custom_margin=”3173px|-422px|-136px|-158px|false|false” custom_padding=”|12px||||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” custom_margin__hover=”2359px|-422px|-136px|-120px|false|false”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”fc11c624-29d0-4bb0-90fa-a99635dac95a” inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n One of two Korean films that competed at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, <\/span>Broker, <\/span><\/i>is written and directed by <\/span>Hirokazu Kore-eda<\/span><\/a>, who won the <\/span>Palme d’Or<\/span><\/i> (the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival) at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival for his film, <\/span>Shoplifters. <\/span><\/i>Known for his delicate portrayals of unconventional families that are not related by blood, he has once again showcased his outstanding storytelling skills through his first Korean film.<\/span><\/p>\n The plot unfolds from a young mother abandoning her baby son in a baby box, otherwise known as a baby hatch, a place where people can leave their babies to be cared for anonymously. This service does not exist in Singapore but can be found in several Asian countries including\u00a0 Japan, Korea and closer to home, <\/span>Malaysia<\/span><\/a>. According to <\/span>Kore-eda<\/span><\/a>, Korea made more sense to him as the setting for the film, since the baby boxes are a more common sight in the country than they are in his native Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n During <\/span>Kore-eda\u2019s scriptwriting and research process<\/span><\/a> in Korea, he listened to the stories of children who were left in these boxes as babies. He hopes that <\/span>Broker<\/span><\/i> could serve as an outlet for these children who have been questioning their existence, describing the children as \u201cstubbornly living their lives fighting against the inner and outer voices that say [they] should never have been born\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Broker<\/span><\/i> portrays an unusual road trip where a young mother, following a change of heart about abandoning her baby, follows the film’s two main \u201cbroker\u201d protagonists on a journey to find her son a new family. <\/span>Not only is the operation joined midway by a mischievous child, it also transpires that\u00a0 two police detectives are observing the whole journey, making it more complicated than it already is. Though dangerous, the trip is adventurous, calming, emotional and delightful all at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n The main characters comprise people from different generations, backgrounds and struggles: Sang-hyeon (Song Kang-ho), a middle-aged man given up by his wife and daughter; Dong-soo (Gang Dong-won), a young man abandoned as a baby; and So-young (Lee Ji-eun), a young women disrespected by society.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n They all share similarities; facing rejection, being deprived of the right to decide on their own paths and eventually, resorting to crime.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/broker-characters.jpg” alt=”Keshi-vinyl-release-debut-album-gabriel” title_text=”broker-characters” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ text_font=”Montserrat|300|||||||” transform_scale_tablet=”” transform_scale_phone=”” transform_scale_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_translate=”0px|-22px” transform_translate_tablet=”” transform_translate_phone=”” transform_translate_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_translate_linked=”off” transform_rotate_tablet=”” transform_rotate_phone=”” transform_rotate_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_skew_tablet=”” transform_skew_phone=”” transform_skew_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_origin_tablet=”” transform_origin_phone=”” transform_origin_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_styles_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_margin=”31px|||||” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” transform_styles_tablet=”” transform_styles_phone=”” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Brought together by chance through a baby box, the characters set off on a journey that leads them to unexpected destinations. Photo taken from <\/span>Zip Cinema<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”fc11c624-29d0-4bb0-90fa-a99635dac95a” custom_margin=”-20px||-1px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n From there, Kore-eda points the audience to various dilemmas and conflicts: Why have a child if you cannot raise one? Is killing a child before birth less of a sin? Could you ever forgive the person who gave you away? No answers are given, but the sharp look at a cross-section of society is intended to unsettle the audience and drive them to further reflection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Broker<\/span><\/i> is a film in which I attempted to look directly at life, and stepped into the characters in order to speak directly with my own voice. It’s a film that resembles a prayer, or a fervent wish,\u201d <\/span>said Kore-eda<\/span><\/a> at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial author=”- Hirokazu Kore-eda” job_title=”Japanese Director, Script Writer” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ position_text_color=”#000000″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Broker<\/span><\/i> is a film in which I attempted to look directly at life, and stepped into the characters in order to speak directly with my own voice. It’s a film that resembles a prayer, or a fervent wish.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”fc11c624-29d0-4bb0-90fa-a99635dac95a” custom_margin=”-35px||-1px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n As you follow Kore-eda\u2019s lead in exploring a darker side of Korean society, you can be safely assured that his strength in highlighting the kindness of human nature will never fail to comfort you throughout the film.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The film reaches its climax during the scene of So-young telling everyone \u201cThank you for being born\u201d on their last night together, acknowledging that they all are born for a reason. Until the film’s crescendo, the characters have not experienced the trust and compassion that a family can provide. Having shared moments of everyday lives like any other family has allowed them to be vulnerable with one another and form strong ties as a \u201cfamily\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Other than the film\u2019s impactful lines, <\/span>Broker<\/span><\/i>\u2019s incredible and talented production has also contributed to the warm sensibility of the film. It was shot entirely in Korea with a full Korean crew. Hong Kyung-pyo, the director of photography who has worked for the acclaimed Korean film <\/span>Parasite, <\/span><\/i>was relentless in ensuring that\u00a0 the realism factor of this film remained. For instance, the team waited for certain desired weather conditions instead of simply resorting to using artificial rain, wind and sunlight. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video src=”http:\/\/youtu.be\/p8jrKedaZvE” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=”4.17.4″ background_image=”https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/anxiety-girl.png” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_sidebar][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ text_font=”Montserrat|300|||||||” transform_scale_tablet=”” transform_scale_phone=”” transform_scale_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_translate=”0px|-22px” transform_translate_tablet=”” transform_translate_phone=”” transform_translate_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_translate_linked=”off” transform_rotate_tablet=”” transform_rotate_phone=”” transform_rotate_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_skew_tablet=”” transform_skew_phone=”” transform_skew_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_origin_tablet=”” transform_origin_phone=”” transform_origin_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_styles_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_margin=”31px|||||” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” transform_styles_tablet=”” transform_styles_phone=”” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n By watching the film, audiences can experience Korea, including cities such as Busan, Yeongdeok, Uljin and Wolmido through the lens of a foreigner. Video taken from <\/span>CJ ENM<\/span><\/a> on<\/span> YouTube.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”fc11c624-29d0-4bb0-90fa-a99635dac95a” custom_margin=”-19px||-1px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Celest Tham<\/b>
Section Editor<\/strong>
Hype Issue #55<\/strong><\/p>\nPublished on<\/h5>\n
July 7, 2022<\/h5>\n