Mai Ratima

Mai Ratima
Hangul 마이 라띠마
Revised Romanization Ma-i Rattima
McCune–Reischauer Mai Rattima
Directed by Yoo Ji-tae
Produced by Hong Yeon-jeong
Song Kwang-ik
Written by Im Sun-ae
Yoo Ji-tae
Starring Bae Soo-bin
Park Ji-soo
So Yoo-jin
Music by Jo Yeong-wook
Cinematography Lee Jung-bae
Jang Won-wook
Edited by Moon In-dae
Production
company
Yoo Movie
Distributed by Lotte Entertainment
Release dates
Running time
 123 minutes
Country South Korea
Language Korean
Thai
English

Mai Ratima (Hangul: 마이 라띠마; RR: Ma-i Rattima) is a 2013 South Korean film that portrays the unlikely love affair of a Korean man in his 30s living on the bottom rung of society and a mail-order bride from Thailand in her 20s.[1]

It is actor-director Yoo Ji-tae's first feature film.[2][3] Yoo emphasizes the discrimination against the ever-increasing number of Southeast Asian women who come to Korea for prearranged marriages, saying he wanted to "portray seemingly insurmountable obstacles facing people who desire to make a difference and beat the odds," and delve into "the pain, desire and deficiency that love bears."[4][5]

The film won the Jury Prize ("Lotus du Jury") at the 2013 Deauville Asian Film Festival. It was praised by Deauville's jury president, Jérôme Clément for its sensitive handling and Yoo's keen insight as director. Clément said, "It's astonishing that this is his first feature film. This award is presented with the hopes that this film will have a chance to be seen widely by film fans worldwide."[6][7][8]

Mai Ratima was released in theaters on June 6, 2013.[9]

Plot

To support her sister and Alzheimer's-afflicted mother back in Thailand, Mai Ratima (Park Ji-soo) enters into an arranged marriage with mentally challenged Sang-pil (Lee Jun-hyuk). Stuck in the drab seaside town of Pohang, she endures the daily harangues of her mother-in-law and sexual harassment by her brother-in-law Sang-rim (Kim Kyung).

Mai's woes are exacerbated when her visa renewal comes up, but she narrowly escapes deportation thanks to the spur-of-the-moment kindness of Soo-young (Bae Soo-bin), a social outcast who can't even afford to renew his national ID. They run off to Seoul and inevitably drift into a relationship, but their happiness doesn't last long as Soo-young becomes entangled with bar hostess Young-jin (So Yoo-jin). The corruption and callousness of the big city leave them bruised and jaded.[10][11][12]

Cast

Production

Yoo Ji-tae wrote the synopsis while still at college but it would be another 15 years before the project was finally turned into a movie. Prior to his feature film debut, Yoo proved his potential as a director after having helmed several short films (such as Out of My Intention), which were all highly critically praised.[4]

Initially titled A Boy Dreams of Sansevieria, filming began in Gyeonggi Province on January 26, 2012.[13][14] It premiered at the 17th Busan International Film Festival on October 5, 2012.[15]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2013 15th Deauville Asian Film Festival Jury Prize Mai Ratima Won
34th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best New Actress Park Ji-soo Won
2014 19th Chunsa Film Art Awards Best New Director Yoo Ji-tae Nominated
1st Wildflower Film Awards Best Actress Park Ji-soo Nominated
Best New Actor/Actress Park Ji-soo Nominated
50th Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actress Park Ji-soo Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Sunwoo, Carla (7 June 2013). "Mai Ratima tackles the challenges of a multicultural Korea". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
  2. ↑ Ji, Yong-jin (5 October 2012). "The Reality We Must Face Now: YOO Ji-tae, Director of Mai Ratima". Korean Cinema Today. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
  3. ↑ Ji, Yong-jin (19 June 2013). "Director YOO Ji-tae and Actor BAE Soo-bin of MAI RATIMA: Cooperation Between Friendly Colleagues". Korean Cinema Today. Retrieved 2013-06-30.
  4. 1 2 "Yoo Ji-tae Shines Light on Mail-Order Brides at Helm of First Feature". The Chosun Ilbo. 15 October 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  5. ↑ Park, Eun-jee (16 November 2012). "Korean actors find satisfaction off-camera". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  6. ↑ Lee, Claire (10 March 2013). "Yoo Ji-tae wins Jury Prize at Deauville Asian Film Fest". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  7. ↑ Conran, Pierce (12 March 2013). "MAI RATIMA Awarded Jury Prize at Deauville Asian Film Festival". Korean Film Council. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  8. ↑ "Actor-Turned-Director Yoo Ji-tae Wins Jury Prize in Deauville". The Chosun Ilbo. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  9. ↑ Lee, Sun-min (28 May 2013). "Yoo Ji-tae directed Mai Ratima to open in June". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  10. ↑ "Mai Ratima". Asian Cinema Fund. Retrieved 2012-09-25.
  11. ↑ Lee, Maggie (7 October 2012). "Mai Ratima". Variety. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  12. ↑ Bechervaise, Jason (5 October 2012). "Mai Ratima". Screen International. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  13. ↑ "Oldboy Villain Yoo Ji-tae to Direct First Feature". The Chosun Ilbo. 9 November 2011. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  14. ↑ Kim, Jessica (30 January 2012). "Yoo Ji-tae first feature cranks in". 10Asia. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  15. ↑ Jeon, Chanil. "Mai Ratima". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved 2012-09-25.
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