Out of My Intention
Encyclopedia
Out of My Intention is a 2008 South Korean short film written and directed by Yoo Ji-tae. It is the third short film by actor-turned-director Yoo, and the first of his films to receive a public release. Lee Dae-yeon and Jo An star as the films only characters.
on a downcast summer afternoon, with the view outside, periodically glimpsed through the car windows, fuzzy and blurred. Sitting in the passenger seat next to him is Ok-gyeong (Jo An), a young woman some twenty years younger than he is. Although their dialogue is scarcely distinguishable with regard to its content, the two are engaged in a typical lover's quarrel. The woman is desperate to talk through their problems, but the man remains silent. Their drive along the highway is interrupted by memories of the past, which include dates taken by the lovers in the countryside, and surreal fantasy scenes where Ok-gyeong has her face painted like a mime artist
.
, where it was given a limited screening. At the South Korean box office, Out of My Intention peaked at 42 over its opening weekend, and as of 6 April 2008, it had grossed a total of $
2,027.
In June 2008, Out of My Intention was screened at the Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo
, where director Yoo won the Special Mention Award. It later competed at the Mise en scène Short Film Festival, held from June to July 2008, the New York Korean Film Festival
in August 2008, the Vancouver International Film Festival
from September to October 2008, and the Asiana International Short Film Festival in November 2008.
described Out of My Intention as an "audiovisual poem", albeit a "rough draft", and noted the director's "ability to orchestrate subtle emotions" in spite of the film's short running time, going on to say, "Yoo takes full advantage of the film medium, creating an ambiance from what is included and excluded in the mise-en-scene." The review also praised the contribution of the cast, saying, "Lee gives the film a nice gravitational pull, weighing down the fluffy parts, while fresh actress Jo An... embodies youthful vigor and beauty.
Plot summary
An unnamed middle-aged man (Lee Dae-yeon) drives listlessly through downtown SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
on a downcast summer afternoon, with the view outside, periodically glimpsed through the car windows, fuzzy and blurred. Sitting in the passenger seat next to him is Ok-gyeong (Jo An), a young woman some twenty years younger than he is. Although their dialogue is scarcely distinguishable with regard to its content, the two are engaged in a typical lover's quarrel. The woman is desperate to talk through their problems, but the man remains silent. Their drive along the highway is interrupted by memories of the past, which include dates taken by the lovers in the countryside, and surreal fantasy scenes where Ok-gyeong has her face painted like a mime artist
Mime artist
A mime artist is someone who uses mime as a theatrical medium or as a performance art, involving miming, or the acting out a story through body motions, without use of speech. In earlier times, in English, such a performer was referred to as a mummer...
.
Production and casting
Out of My Intention is the third directorial project by Yoo Ji-tae, following his earlier short films Bike Boy and How Does the Blind Dream. Regarding the brevity and ambiguity afforded by the short film format, Yoo said, "If I had made the film into a full feature, I would have had to give all of the sundry reasons and episodes about their initial relationships". Actor Lee Dae-yeon admitted to being "a bit baffled" by the film's script, but felt compelled to take the part after Yoo told him it had been written with him in mind.Themes and interpreations
Like Yoo's earlier shorts, the central theme in Out of My Intention is one of love. The film is a blend of past and present; though the two characters talk to each other constantly, the camera almost never captures them together in one frame. The man is actually "driving down memory lane" and reminiscing about his first love, his thoughts conjuring her back to life. While he has grown old and weary, Ok-gyeong remains young in his heart, suggesting that first love never dies.Release
The press preview for Out of My Intention received an unusual level of interest, much to the surprise of director Yoo Ji-tae. The first of his films to be released theatrically, it opened on 20 March 2008 at the Gwanghwamun Spongehouse in SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, where it was given a limited screening. At the South Korean box office, Out of My Intention peaked at 42 over its opening weekend, and as of 6 April 2008, it had grossed a total of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2,027.
In June 2008, Out of My Intention was screened at the Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, where director Yoo won the Special Mention Award. It later competed at the Mise en scène Short Film Festival, held from June to July 2008, the New York Korean Film Festival
New York Korean Film Festival
The New York Korean Film Festival was created by Korean Film Forum and Subway Cinema in 2001. In 2002, the Korean Film Forum took over full responsibility for the New York Korean Film Festival, while Subway Cinema focused on the creation of the New York Asian Film Festival.The Korean Film Forum was...
in August 2008, the Vancouver International Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
The Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October...
from September to October 2008, and the Asiana International Short Film Festival in November 2008.
Critical response
Lee Hyo-won of The Korea TimesThe Korea Times
The Korea Times is the oldest of three English-language newspapers published daily in South Korea, along with The Korea Herald and The JoongAng Daily. It is part of the same newspaper group as Hankook Ilbo, a major Korean language daily...
described Out of My Intention as an "audiovisual poem", albeit a "rough draft", and noted the director's "ability to orchestrate subtle emotions" in spite of the film's short running time, going on to say, "Yoo takes full advantage of the film medium, creating an ambiance from what is included and excluded in the mise-en-scene." The review also praised the contribution of the cast, saying, "Lee gives the film a nice gravitational pull, weighing down the fluffy parts, while fresh actress Jo An... embodies youthful vigor and beauty.
External links
- Out of My Intention at HanCinema
- Out of My Intention at the Korean Movie Database