Captain Kang

It´s good times on the deck of a small South Korean fishing boat. After a thick fog disperses, the three-member crew hauls in a net full of fish, and even experienced fisherman Kang joins in the mutual ribbing. Twenty years earlier he lost both legs in an unfortunate fishing accident, yet he can still do the work of two men. He could not have managed, however, without the help of his close-knit family. In order to assist his father, Kang´s son gave up his dream of becoming a professional baseball player and now has to content himself with watching games on TV. Kang is well aware of this and, from time to time, his own dream returns in which he is a butterfly happily flying wherever he wants. But each time he snaps out of it, harsh reality is there to greet him. In his poetic film, South Korean director Won Ho-yeon perceptively records the extent to which family solidarity can overcome the vicissitudes of fate. The creator’s choice of affecting music enhances this visually sophisticated documentary with its uncommonly powerful story. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)