My Lovely Angel (2021) [บรรยายไทย]

Korean independent rights firm, More In Group is using Hong Kong FilMart to launch inspirational drama film “My Lovely Angel.”

The film focuses on the developing relationship between a lonely man and a deaf-blind girl, and its backers say that the attention it gathers on release will be used to promote legislation in Korea to help deaf-blind people, a proposal that has already been nicknamed the ‘Helen Keller law’.

Filmed in October and November last year in a post-COVID-lull, the film is recently completed. It is now targeting a premiere at Korea’s National Assembly and a May 2021 theatrical launch.

Working with a $3 million budget, “Angel” was co-directed by Lee Chang-won (“La Mer,” screenwriter and producer of “Unwanted Brother”) and Kwon Sung-mo, a music and shorts director who was awarded the Sonje prize at the Busan International Film Festival in 2018.

The main roles belong to Jin Goo, one of the stars of Bong Joon-ho’s “Mother” and hit TV series “Descendants of the Sun,” and to Jung Seo-yeon. Other cast includes Jang Hye-jin (“Parasite”) and Gang Shin-il (“Public Enemy,” “Black Money”).

The story involves a small-time businessman who visits the home of a recently deceased employee and discovers the woman’s orphan daughter who cannot hear, speak or see. Her communication difficulties encourage him to pretend to be her father. Despite her handicaps and his obsession with cleanliness the pair learn to communicate through touch.

Production is by five-year-old indie firm Finestory, which previously produced “Unwanted Brother” and “Memento Mori.” The company has been reenergized since the 2020 arrival of producers Jeon Yoon-chan (Kim Ki-duk’s “Poongsan,” and “Pieta”) and Kwak Joong-hoon “Secret,” “A Long Visit,” “Perfect Game” and “One-Line.”

Headed by T.J. Chung, More In has a span of activities that stretch from film and TV rights sales, through IP investment and co-production, and music IP sales. Its back catalog also packs a score of movies from the first decade of the Korean film industry revival, including “Face,” “Afrika” and “Our Town.”