MOVIE
'Elemental' of harmony drawn with fire, water, air and earth
'Elemental' director Peter Sohn held a press conference in Korea
'Elemental' opens on June 14th
'Elemental' opens on June 14th
On the 30th at noon, a press conference for the movie 'Elemental' (director Peter Sohn) was held at CGV Yongsan, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Director Peter Sohn and animator Lee Chae-yeon, who participated in the 3D animation part, attended.
On this day, director Peter Peter Son said, "I can only say that it is an honor" about his impressions of visiting Korea. "First of all, I want to thank my parents, but they both passed away while making this work. It's a special feeling to come to Korea, and I'm really happy that I can be with you like this."
Then, director Sohn, who visited Korea after about 7 years since the movie 'Good Dinosaur' (2016), said that he had visited Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun area yesterday and admired, "The people wearing hanbok were so pretty." In addition, he said, "I ate Pyongyang water naengmyeon, and it was really delicious. It's not available in the United States."
Director Sohn recalled the meeting held in New York at the time of his previous film 'The Good Dinosaur' and said, "At that time, my parents were sitting in front of me like this, and at that moment I was so emotional that I started to cry. I remembered my parents' sacrifice, and I was really grateful. I think I was so emotional that I can't remember if I said anything," he said.
"My parents immigrated to the United States in the 60s and 70s and went through a lot. Back then, there was xenophobia, and there were people who helped my parents. I think I learned a lot from watching them."
Amber's father in 'Elemental' resembles director Sohn's father. He said, “My parents ran a grocery store, and the customers who came in were really diverse. My father understood, sympathized with, and helped with everything he needed even though he couldn’t speak a word of English.” I felt it through my skin, so I wanted to portray it through this film.”
Director Sohn said that he realized his identity through discrimination. “I am surprised when I am discriminated against at first, and of course I hate it,” he said. “I felt like a stranger and felt a lot about my identity as I grew up. How Korean, how American, I thought about what makes me."
Through this, director Peter Sohn, who solidified his identity, put his story into a movie and drew sympathy from many people. In particular, Director Sohn told the story of a mother who had a lot of artistic temperament, but was not given a legitimate opportunity because she was born a woman. Director Sohn, the eldest son, had to inherit his parents' grocery store, but he liked to draw, and in the process, there was a lot of friction with his mother.
“I wanted to draw, and my parents said no. If I didn’t do my homework and just drew, my mom would come and tear up the picture. I fought a lot with my mother. I didn't receive equal opportunities compared to Uncle In. Painting was a painful memory for my mother, and I only realized later that she told me not to go down the same path. My mother told me this and showed me the picture she drew, and it was so beautiful. We That's when I realized why I fought so hard."
In particular, when asked what kind of child would come out if Amber, the fire character, and Wade, the water character, got married in the play, Director Son laughed when he said, "Wouldn't there be a steam baby?"
'Elemental' tells the story of Amber, who is witty and full of passion like fire, meeting Wade, who is pleasant and emotional, and builds a special friendship in 'Element City', where the four elements of fire, water, air, and earth live. 'Elemental' was selected as the closing film of this year's Cannes Film Festival and decorated the grand finale. It is a Disney-Pixar film invited to Cannes three years after the movie 'Soul'.
'Elemental' is released on June 14th.
Jiye Choi, staff reporter at TenAsia wisdomart@tenasia.co.krㅇ
