Shin Su-won, a filmmaker who started her career in her thirties, is well-established in the festival circuit and in the heart of indie-movie-lovers-soya-milk-drinkers-hipsters (I, unfortunately, relate to that description). Two years after “Glass Garden”, and four after “Madonna”, she is back with “Light for the Youth”.
On the one hand, the feature observes the fast-pace, inhuman work reality that is expected in the corporate world and beyond. On the other hand, it looks into how the young -and less young- generation apprehends and evolves in the said job market.
“Light for the Youth” is screening at Florence Korean Film Festival 2020
“Light for the Youth” first immerses us in a call center where the employees call to chase on due credit card money. This is done through the eyes of a young boy, Joon (played by Yoon Chan-young). There, not only is the work done not pleasant, but the working conditions are, frankly-speaking, inhuman. His boss, Lee Se-yeon (played by Kim Ho-jung), would like to become part of corporate, as the call center place is outsourced. She has a daughter, Mi-rae (played by Jung Ha-dam) who is around the same age as Joon and is trying to find her place and meaning in society.
All three main characters are interesting and well-written. Joon, who used to be curious and hopeful becomes disappointed and resigned. He will be the vector for Se-yeon questioning. The latter is reinforcing and enhancing a work environment where profit is king (yes, the soya-drinker-hipster is also quite critical towards capitalism). Yet, she is quite humane with her daughter. She hates the corporate world, but dreams to be part of it. Her ambiguity is very interesting and well played by Kim Ho-jung. Finally, her daughter Mi-rae endure things, is desperate to belong, but is also quite disillusioned.
Visually, the feature uses a lot of natural lighting and wide shots, which gives the movie a ‘more realistic' touch. If it gives the impression to be in observational mode, the film doesn't seem to find a lot of “Light” for the youth. Although underlying the loss of humanity, the ambiguity and the rebellion (#forkthesystem) might be the beginning of a new hope.
If you're looking for a blast that will take your mind away from the current confinement and make you love society, it might be a good idea to reconsider. However, if you're looking for a visually nice and well-written take on current society, with nuanced and attaching characters, you are in for a treat with “Light for the Youth”.
