Friday, November 13, 2015

In Brief: With or Without you (2014) DOC NYC 2015

Observational documentary follows two elderly women in Korea as they go through their daily life.

When Maggi's son's died and she could no longer longer have children she brought in Chun-hee to be her husband's second wife in the hopes of continuing the bloodline. Unfortunately Chun-hee is mentally handicapped and now that their husband is gone and the two women grow older Maggi has to worry about what will happen to her.

Good but somewhat slow moving film is not going to be for all audiences.If you want a film that moves like the wind and fills in all the details this film isn't for you. This is a slice of life film unfolding in long takes as we observe the two women do what they do. Occasionally someone will address the camera, but more time than not this is simply watching.

I was in the right frame of mind for this film and was ready for how it unfolded. I know if I wasn't this might have been a long haul. Love it or hate it this film raised a lot of questions about how do we handle the older mentally handicapped when their caregivers go away. Its not an easy question or one most of us will have to ponder but it's an important one none the same.

This film gets a single screening Sunday night at DOC NYC. For tickets and more information go here.

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