Dinner with Fly
Interview with Youn-Jung Lim, director of Fly
What inspired you to tell Eunbyeol’s story?
I do believe that the films I make always reflect myself at certain stages of my life. And at the time, I was looking for a breakthrough, some kind of miracle in my life to keep me going. As a filmmaker, as a woman, as a person who tries to get a grip of one’s life. But I knew that it should come from within me.
I wanted to follow the girl, and capture her most fragile yet authentic moments. And give her a chance to make that happen. Although she is far from who I am, I felt like I could entirely understand what she was going through.
Not because I knew better than her, but because I was also going through what she has to face in her life. I wanted to hold her and tell her “Everything will be alright, but no one else but yourself can save you, and you should become anything that you are capable of becoming”.
Without giving too much away could you shed some light on the relationship between the two girls?
Hyunjoo is the only one who fixes her eyes on Eunbyeol – the girl who doesn’t give a shit about other people or what they think about her. Their relationship starts out as what looks like a dangerous deal, but eventually they welcome each other into their lives, and gladly become the witnesses to what they have gone through together, and how strong they can be – there is no tragedy one cannot overcome.
Can you tell us what motivated you to become a filmmaker? What sort of genres are you most interested in?
I make films to live my life to the fullest. Because I cannot find the right words to answer that question. Words have always failed me. Filmmaking is my way of expressing and articulating who I am, and who I want to become. I always wanted to connect with other people, and their lives, by looking back at what I have been through, with the carefully chosen (cinematic) language of mine.
Films connect us in the most intimate and private way. The films that touched my life were the ones that I could relate to in a way that was unexplainable. Even when I thought my films were too personal, I have always had someone come up to me and share their own personal experiences after watching my films. I find it magical and intriguing and I intend to keep thriving to sharpen my own film language to embrace life – mine and my films’. I am most interested in films that portray strong (in many different ways) female characters, with integrity and charisma. I almost always fall in love with films that bring dreams to screen.
Are any other releases scheduled?
Fly was shown in numerous film festivals in Korea last year, but it is the first time it is screened outside the country. I hope the film can meet with as many audiences as possible, to even more countries around the world. I am very curious about how international audiences will receive the film.
Are you taking part in other events during the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival? (Espressos, Conferences, other?)
I will be participating in the festival with main actress Jeong Ha-dam, actor and action director Lee Hyemi and we will stay throughout the entire festival. We’re willing to take part in as many events as possible.
Fly is being shown in International Competition I11.
