Winner of the NEXT Award at last year’s edition of Sundance, Gook is a film directed, written and starring Justin Chon. It is set in a multicultural L.A. roaring with racial tensions, exacerbated by the Rodney King case, an African American taxi driver who was brutally beaten by police officers and whose perpetrators ended up being acquitted of all charges by the judge. The story unfolds during the Los Angeles Riots of 1992, an event that is used to provide a temporality and a socio-historical background to the narrative.

Entirely shot in black and white, Chon’s second feature portrays the unique relationship between two Korean-American twentysomethings and an Afro-American tween girl. The tragic events that occurred in 1992  burst eventually into this fiction as part of the storyline and give a sense of realism and veracity to the plot throughout the film. The unfolding story is meant as an obvious tribute to the communities that were most affected by these incidents. It also unveils the kind of atrocities and injustices that were unfortunately committed at that time.

Tuesday 6th 20:00 – Phenomena (Only with invitation)

Thursday 8th 20:00 – Sala 3

2017: Audience Award – Sundance Next

2017: Zurich Film Festival

2017: Seattle International Film Festival

2017: Munich Film Festival

2018: Someone to Watch Award – Independent Spirit Awards