Deface (film)
Encyclopedia
Deface is unique in that it is the first American-made film in which the entire narrative takes place in North Korea, with a fully Asian American cast. The film is subtitled in English with the actors speaking Korean with a North Korean dialect.
Deface has played in numerous film festivals and has garnered several awards. In 2007 it won Best Narrative Short at the Austin Film Festival, qualifying the film for Oscar consideration in the category of Best Live Action Short Film of 2008.
“DEFACE is possibly our favorite film out of the entire bunch and should be a strong contender for an audience award. Sooyoung (played soulfully by Joseph Steven Yang) loses his wife and his daughter to the harsh conditions in North Korea. Every day he is forced to degrade himself when he cannot meet the harsh manual labor quotas set for him by the government, and yet must walk past propaganda billboards that proclaim "We are happy!" His public acts of civil disobedience are punishable by death, and in the end he wonders whether he has really made a difference. At 20 minutes, this is one of the longer shorts, but we didn't want it to end. Writer/Director John Arlotto dares to ask the audience ‘What if we, as artists, risked our lives each time we expressed ourselves creatively?’” -Austinist.com
DEFACE is likely to stand out from the crowd because [it] takes on the North Korean regime. The story is quick and simple-a bereaved father decides to deface a North Korean propaganda poster-and director John Arlotto locates it effectively in the desolate landscape of totalitarianism. -The Baltimore Weekly
Deface has played in numerous film festivals and has garnered several awards. In 2007 it won Best Narrative Short at the Austin Film Festival, qualifying the film for Oscar consideration in the category of Best Live Action Short Film of 2008.
Story
When a North Korean man is pushed to the edge by his daughter's senseless death, he risks his life to challenge the oppressive government, making his voice heard through an extreme and unusual action.Synopsis
Deface is the story of Sooyoung, a faceless factory worker in a small town in North Korea who stays quiet and follows the rules. But when his daughter dies of starvation, Sooyoung is driven by his outrage to vandalize the large propaganda posters that decorate the town with happy, assuring slogans. Hoping to inspire change, Sooyoung risks his life to deface the billboards, repainting the messages to reflect a more truthful take on contemporary North Korea. He manages to avoid capture by the newly formed “Anti-Graffiti” patrol, but when he sees that his act of protest leads to the arrest of local innocents, he must question to what end do his rebellious actions really serve. Will Sooyoung continue his campaign of revolution or will the government silence another individual voice? Original, controversial and painstakingly researched, DEFACE sheds light on the Hermit Nation through dramatic storytelling, amazing performances and compelling imagery.Cast
- Joseph Steven YangJoseph Steven Yang-Filmography:-External links:***...
as Sooyoung - Alexis Rhee as Jeung-Un
- Greg Joung Paik as Commander
- James Kyson Lee as Agent Jae Sun
- Aira H. Kim as Kyung-Ha
- Jun Hee LeeJun Hee LeeJun Hee Lee is an American actor.Lee was born in St. Louis, Missouri. His most major film role was that of the title character in the 2004 film Ethan Mao...
as Beggar Boy #1 - Willis Chung as Beggar Boy #2
- Hyun Joo Shin as Foreman
- Arnold Chun as Soldier #1
- Benjamin KimBenjamin KimBenjamin Kim is a American pianist, who won the 55th ARD International Music Competition in Munich, September 2006 .Kim started studying the piano at age five with the famed Oregonian piano teacher, Dorothy Fahlman...
as Soldier #2 - Joon Park as Soldier #3
- Cy Shim as Soldier #4
- Jeanie J. Lee as Female Soldier
- Roland YoungRoland YoungRoland Young was an English actor.-Early life and career:Born in London, England, Young was educated at Sherborne School, Dorset and the University of London before being accepted into Royal Academy of Dramatic Art...
as Mr. Rhee - Sung Hoon Kim as Agent #2
Key personnel / crew
- Writer/Director - John Arlotto
- ProducerFilm producerA film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
- Roman Wyden - Executive ProducerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
- John Arlotto - Director of Photography - James Mann
- EditorFilm editingFilm editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
- John Arlotto - MusicMusicMusic is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
- Michael Mouracade - Production DesignerProduction designerIn film and television, a production designer is the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed event such as films, TV programs, music videos or adverts. Production designers have one of the key creative roles in the creation of motion pictures and television. Working directly with the...
- Christian Chi Lee - Costume DesignerCostume DesignerA costume designer or costume mistress/master is a person whose responsibility is to design costumes for a film or stage production. He or she is considered an important part of the "production team", working alongside the director, scenic and lighting designers as well as the sound designer. The...
- Francine LeCoultre - Sound Designer - Kaspar Hugentobler
- Makeup/Hair - Yoko Nobushi
- Art DirectorArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
- Brandon Nicholas - Stunts - Linn Oeding
- Script SupervisorScript supervisorA script supervisor is a member of a film crew responsible for maintaining the motion picture's internal continuity and for recording the production unit's daily progress in shooting the film's screenplay...
- Jeff Gonzalez - GafferGaffer (filmmaking)A gaffer in the motion picture industry and on a television crew is an electrician that can be head of the electrical department, responsible for the execution of the lighting plan for a production. Gaffer, outside of the motion picture industry, is a traditional British English word for an older...
- Kevin Duggin
Critical reception
Deborah Nicol of Critical Mass Film House says, “DEFACE is John Arlotto’s very powerful short about the effect of a dictatorship regime on it’s working people. Though Sooyoung (portrayed wonderfully by Joseph Steven Yang) follows in step with everyone else to ensure a meager life for his family, all that changes when they become ill from malnutrition and horrendous conditions. Surrounded by propaganda posters, he fights the system by defacing the property (e.g. “We have nothing to envy” to “We have everything to envy”).” Deborah Nicol’s review is available at: http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=PluckPersona&U=654fa9a082c54ac7a722a8679cae98bd&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a654fa9a082c54ac7a722a8679cae98bdPost%3a1a48e2c9-c7e0-434c-8b77-90109c764b49&sid=sitelife.mydesert.com“DEFACE is possibly our favorite film out of the entire bunch and should be a strong contender for an audience award. Sooyoung (played soulfully by Joseph Steven Yang) loses his wife and his daughter to the harsh conditions in North Korea. Every day he is forced to degrade himself when he cannot meet the harsh manual labor quotas set for him by the government, and yet must walk past propaganda billboards that proclaim "We are happy!" His public acts of civil disobedience are punishable by death, and in the end he wonders whether he has really made a difference. At 20 minutes, this is one of the longer shorts, but we didn't want it to end. Writer/Director John Arlotto dares to ask the audience ‘What if we, as artists, risked our lives each time we expressed ourselves creatively?’” -Austinist.com
DEFACE is likely to stand out from the crowd because [it] takes on the North Korean regime. The story is quick and simple-a bereaved father decides to deface a North Korean propaganda poster-and director John Arlotto locates it effectively in the desolate landscape of totalitarianism. -The Baltimore Weekly