오아시스 (Oasis). 2002. South Korea. Written and directed by Lee Chang-dong. With Sul Kyung-gu, Moon So-ri, Ahn Nae-sang, Ryoo Seung-wan. In Korean; English subtitles. 132 min.
Lee Chang-dong’s devastating character study earned both the Special Director’s Award at the 2002 Venice Film Festival and the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Moon So-ri’s performance, announcing Korean cinema’s arrival as a force in world art cinema. Hong Jong-du, a mildly intellectually disabled man recently released from prison, visits the family of his hit-and-run victim and becomes fixated on the daughter, Gong-ju, who has severe cerebral palsy and lives abandoned in a decrepit apartment. Lee refuses sentimentality, opening with Jong-du’s attempted sexual assault before gradually revealing the profound emotional connection that develops between two people society has rendered invisible. Moon So-ri’s physically demanding performance required mastering the involuntary movements of cerebral palsy while conveying her character’s sharp intelligence and romantic yearning, often through fantasy sequences where she appears able-bodied. Sul Kyung-gu matches her intensity as the guileless Jong-du, whose apparent simplicity masks genuine devotion. Lee’s patient direction and Choi Yeong-taek’s cinematography create an almost unbearable intimacy, observing how families exploit both characters for financial gain while condemning their relationship as transgressive.