Chang-dong Lee	...	(Director)
Chang-dong Lee, Chong-jun Yi	...	(Writer)
Do-yeon Jeon	...	Shin-ae
Kang-ho Song	...	Jong Chan
Yeong-jin Jo	...
Mi-kyung Kim	...
Yeong-jae Kim	...
Seo-hie Ko	...
Myeong-shin Park	...
Jung-yeop Seon	...	Jun
Christian Basso	...	Composer
Yong-kyou Cho	...	Cinematographer

Comments: This film stars two of my favorite Korean actors, Do-yeon Jeon and Kang-ho Song, and is written and directed by Chang-dong Lee, who gave us OASIS. Both films are character driven.

The characters in this film are subtle and understated for the most part, and they rely on each other to complete and fully reveal themselves. Do-yeon Jeon's character, the recently widowed mother, is restless and affected, her world is heavy and she is intense yet fragile. Kang-ho Song's character, the guy who is infatuated with her, is carefree, loose, thick, and thoroughly durable. We see him as a complete boof but somehow don't mind him tagging along all the time. He seems necessary.

The plot of this film doesn't even matter. It's just a vehicle, a world, for the characters to inhabit, yet there is an intricate story line. The only problem I have with this film is the length of the prayers. "Our father who art in heaven" says enough, no need to go all the way to "for thine is the Kingdom and the Glory" blah blah. Having said that, however, the scene where Do-yeon Jeon goes to the prison to forgive the man who committed the most heinous of crimes against her is one of the strongest and smartest statements on religious belief I've seen.

Do-yeon Jeon won best actress at this year's Cannes.

Summary: Sin-ae moves with her son Jun to Miryang, the town where her dead husband was born. As she tries to come to herself and set out on new foundations, another tragic event overturns her life.

High-end DVD distributor Criterion has picked up its first-ever Korean title, taking U.S. home entertainment rights to Lee Chang-Dong’s Secret Sunshine from CJ Entertainment.