Poetry is a character study of a film that examines many of the same big topics that poetry on paper has always addressed - like beauty, truth and mortality.
It comes from Korean writer-director Lee Chang-dong. His script won the best screenplay prize at Cannes last year. His previous directing effort, 2008's "Secret Sunshine," won the festival's best actress award for Jeon Do-yeon and some say that the new film's star, Yun Jung-hee, should have won best actress as well.
In the film, Mija is attempting to live life fully. Part of that attempt is focused on trying to write one good poem.
Her teacher tells her that her difficultly is not writing the poem but finding the heart to write it.
As with many foreign films for Americans, the pace of the film will comparatively slow, but, then again, that's part of the film's story.
The Lee Chang Dong DVD Collection: Green Fish (1997), Peppermint Candy (1999), Oasis (2002)
