OASIS

Korea, 2002, 132 minutes, Colour.
Sol Kyung- Gu, Moon So- Ri.
Directed by Li Chang- Dong.

Oasis won the Catholic Jury Prize and the International Critics' Award at the Venice Film Festival, 2002.

The film is from Korea, a focus on ordinary people living in the city of Seoul. The focus in on a young man who comes out of prison, is slightly mentally retarded, is looked down on by the rest of his family (even though he had gone to jail for a hit-run accident committed by his older brother). He tries several jobs and fails, eventually helping his brother in his car repair shop. However, he visits the family of the victims of the hit-run accident and becomes involved with the daughter, who is suffering from severe cerebral palsy. He attempts to rape her but she faints. He leaves his phone number and she contacts him and they begin a friendship. There are embarrassing moments when he takes her to his mother's birthday celebration in a fashionable restaurant. However, in going out, they understand one another and when they return home, and are found in bed by the relatives of the young woman, the man is taken to the police station and charged with sexual offences. He does not deny them, goes to jail, but only after he saws off the branches of the tree which causes shadow on the tapestry in the woman's room, the tapestry of an oasis where the shadows in the afternoon terrify her.

The title of the film refers to this tapestry and in moments of magic realism the princess, the dancer and the elephant appear in her room. The acting is very strong, especially with the actress performing the cerebral palsy role, Moon So Ri. Her versatility in performance is shown in some fantasy sequences where she no longer suffers from cerebral palsy and appears as herself.

The film is long, shocking at the beginning with the treatment of the central characters, especially the attempted rape sequence. However, as the story continues, it becomes one of redemption for the young man and a highlighting of the contrast between the sincerity of the two central characters and their self-centred and greedy families.

1. Acclaim for the film? Korean interests, universal themes?

2. Seoul, the naturalistic filming, the poverty, the streets? Musical score?

3. The blend of reality and fantasy, the title, the tapestry, the shadows, its coming alive, the butterflies, the dove, the girl herself overcoming her illness in imagination?

4. The young man and the bus, searching for his brother, wanting tofu, going to the restaurant, unable to pay the bill, his brother rescuing him, the older brother, the mother and her disdain of her son? The family angry with him? His intelligence, yet his capacity for genuine feeling?

5. His mother, the television and her birthday, his brother and repairing cars, helping him to get a job with deliveries, his failing, working in the garage, the whipping? The younger brother as more pleasant? Sleeping in the garage, stealing his brother's money?

6. Jong- Du and his going to the family, meeting the girl, her brother's anger, her acceptance of him, her palsy and her helplessness, being left by herself, the brother and the sister-in-law going to the better flat, getting it because of her, leaving her alone? Fending for herself, the neighbour? Jong-Du's visit, attraction, the attempted rape, her fainting? His stopping? His leaving his phone number, her contact? The changing relationship, his asking forgiveness, her giving it? Going out, the chair, the train - and the visions of her coming alive and seeing the inner beauty? The outing in the restaurant, the garage, going to the birthday party? Her being lovable, the ultimate sexual relationship, Jong-Du's arrest? His upset, lopping the limbs? Her upset, his going from the police station to lop the limbs, her cleaning her room, a change and strength in her character, the oasis tapestry visible and not intimidating her? The final letter?

7. The young man and his mental state, his prospects and lack of them, taking the blame for his brother, despised by the family, his inefficiency in his jobs, being late? The change in his relationship with the girl, despite his thoughtless and callous attack? Forgiveness? In the garage, his irresponsibility in taking the car, taking her for a drive and the exhilaration of the speed on the freeway? The dancing and the music? The train and the people watching? The birthday party? The developments in his character, the possibilities of redemption?

8. The portrait of the families, their self-centredness, the detached mother, the brother trying to help, the brother exploiting? The girl's family, her brother and sister-in-law and their taking the apartment using her means?

9. Life in Seoul, the streets, restaurants, garages, trains, highways?

10. The film's theme of people with handicaps, hardships, relationships, prospects?

11. The theme of the film as redemption possible despite all that goes before? Love and its transformations? Hope?