PLANET OF SNAIL
Price: $195.00 Code: 2427 |
Directed by Seungjun Yi
2012, 87 minutes
Purchase: $195 | Classroom rental: $95
Winner of the prestigious Best Documentary prize at the International Film Festival Amsterdam, Planet of Snail is a mesmerizing documentary about an accomplished young poet who can no longer hear or see and his relationship to the world around him.
Young-Chan is deaf and blind. He learned to speak when he was very young, but soon after lost his sight and hearing. He lives with his wife, Soon-Ho, who is his soul mate, an inseparable part of his life, and a window to the outside world. They communicate with one another through finger braille, a unique form of touch-based sign language in which words are tapped on each other's hands.
Young-Chan and Soon-Ho rely on each other completely. Even simple domestic tasks require complex collaboration, like the changing of a light bulb on the ceiling. And everyday moments that most of us hardly notice become tender shared experiences, like feeling the bark of a tree, smelling pine cones on a spring morning, or the sensation of raindrops on the skin.
However, Young-Chan must be able to survive on his own. One day, as Soon-Ho waits anxiously at home, Young-Chan embarks on the biggest adventure of his life.
Breathtaking imagery coupled with Young-Chan's personal writings create a transfixing portrait of life on what seems like another planet, where touch communicates everything and love conquers all.
* Winner,Sterling Award for Best World Feature , SilverDocs Film Festival
* Official Selection, Tribeca Film Festival
* Official Selection, Hot Docs Film Festival
* 2013 Association for Asian Studies Film Expo
"Palpably inspirational...This beautifully photographed documentary is a poetic meditation on refined sensory perception". Stephen Holden, The New York Times
"Simple, direct and magical. It will win you over as well if you give it the chance. It is both a pleasure and a great privilege to be observers in their world... An elegant, minimal look at life as it is lived." - Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
"Powerful. A significant testament to the potential of the human spirit and the power of love.” - Indiewire
"Elegant and moving. It’s a real joy. An unusual break-out documentary. Gentle, lyrical and thoughtfully constructed, the film is a delicate delve into the world of disability. A memorable film. A delicate and entrancing film, beautifully structured and never maudlin. Its sheer sense of zest for life is enchanting.” - Screen Daily
“Cinematic love stories don't come more convincing or singular than this. Neither sentimentalizes nor heroicizes his subjects and instead lets their personalities and idiosyncrasies lead the way. You’ll never look at a light bulb the same way again." – Village Voice
“A remarkable depiction of love, understanding, and patience.” – Ioncinema
“Rich in lyrical moments and even humor.” – Variety
" Recommended . A documentary film occasionally has the power to transport the viewer so completely into the world of its subject that the viewer emerges changed by the experience. Planet of Snail , in its intimate portrait of a Korean marriage, is just such a film...An appropriate film for courses in disability and deaf studies, language, psychology, or writing, this film should also appeal to non-academic audiences with an interest in the nature of human relationships." - Educational Media Reviews Online
2012, 87 minutes
Purchase: $195 | Classroom rental: $95
Winner of the prestigious Best Documentary prize at the International Film Festival Amsterdam, Planet of Snail is a mesmerizing documentary about an accomplished young poet who can no longer hear or see and his relationship to the world around him.
Young-Chan is deaf and blind. He learned to speak when he was very young, but soon after lost his sight and hearing. He lives with his wife, Soon-Ho, who is his soul mate, an inseparable part of his life, and a window to the outside world. They communicate with one another through finger braille, a unique form of touch-based sign language in which words are tapped on each other's hands.
Young-Chan and Soon-Ho rely on each other completely. Even simple domestic tasks require complex collaboration, like the changing of a light bulb on the ceiling. And everyday moments that most of us hardly notice become tender shared experiences, like feeling the bark of a tree, smelling pine cones on a spring morning, or the sensation of raindrops on the skin.
However, Young-Chan must be able to survive on his own. One day, as Soon-Ho waits anxiously at home, Young-Chan embarks on the biggest adventure of his life.
Breathtaking imagery coupled with Young-Chan's personal writings create a transfixing portrait of life on what seems like another planet, where touch communicates everything and love conquers all.
Subjects & Collections
Festivals & Awards
* Winner, Best Documentary Prize, International Film Festival Amsterdam* Winner,Sterling Award for Best World Feature , SilverDocs Film Festival
* Official Selection, Tribeca Film Festival
* Official Selection, Hot Docs Film Festival
* 2013 Association for Asian Studies Film Expo
Reviews
“Deserves to be added to the pantheon of cinema about blindness.” - Sight and Sound"Palpably inspirational...This beautifully photographed documentary is a poetic meditation on refined sensory perception". Stephen Holden, The New York Times
"Simple, direct and magical. It will win you over as well if you give it the chance. It is both a pleasure and a great privilege to be observers in their world... An elegant, minimal look at life as it is lived." - Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
"Powerful. A significant testament to the potential of the human spirit and the power of love.” - Indiewire
"Elegant and moving. It’s a real joy. An unusual break-out documentary. Gentle, lyrical and thoughtfully constructed, the film is a delicate delve into the world of disability. A memorable film. A delicate and entrancing film, beautifully structured and never maudlin. Its sheer sense of zest for life is enchanting.” - Screen Daily
“Cinematic love stories don't come more convincing or singular than this. Neither sentimentalizes nor heroicizes his subjects and instead lets their personalities and idiosyncrasies lead the way. You’ll never look at a light bulb the same way again." – Village Voice
“A remarkable depiction of love, understanding, and patience.” – Ioncinema
“Rich in lyrical moments and even humor.” – Variety
" Recommended . A documentary film occasionally has the power to transport the viewer so completely into the world of its subject that the viewer emerges changed by the experience. Planet of Snail , in its intimate portrait of a Korean marriage, is just such a film...An appropriate film for courses in disability and deaf studies, language, psychology, or writing, this film should also appeal to non-academic audiences with an interest in the nature of human relationships." - Educational Media Reviews Online