Jay Choi is a South Korean filmmaker based in Oslo. She recently graduated from the Norwegian Film School's MA program, focusing on virtual production and character-driven storytelling that blends different levels of reality. Her short films have been screened internationally at various film festivals, including Encounters (UK) and the Norwegian Short Film Festival. Jay also holds a bachelor's degree from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London, and her work as a theatre director in Korea won her Gold Prize at the 34th Art Festival for Workers. She is currently developing her first feature “Glowed Up” with writer Clare Sumi through the British Film Institute's development program. “Contact Point” was her second movie back in 2015.
Contact Point is screening at Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia
The short begins with a dental technician taking measures for a mold under the sound of piano music, who is soon revealed as one of the two protagonists of the movie, Sun-woo. His work is interrupted, however, by a phone call. It turns out it is his his ex-girlfriend Ji-young, many years after their last meeting, and the call really has Sun-woon on his knees. He does agree on a date though, and meets with her in a bar that night, although his nervousness is still evident, as much as Sun-woo's coolness. They start talking about their current relationships in a relaxed fashion, with her soon announcing that she is getting a second divorce. She is flirty and does get him drunk, and the two end up in a hotel room.
Jay Choi directs an 18-minute short that is essentially a bittersweet romantic drama, with a role reversal element that adds some extra entertainment in the whole thing. Sun-woo is totally in control of the relationship, although it is eventually revealed that her life is a total mess, while Sun-woo's in a path to become “normal” more or less. The authority she exercises on him becomes evident from the phone call even, with his stress during their meeting, and his eagerness, as much as disappointment the next morning cementing the imbalance of their relationship
Check the interview of the director of the festival
Another interesting aspect is that Sun-woo, despite the aforementioned, is the one who opens up the most about her life, in an element that adds to the romance, but also highlights that the upper hand can also be gained through vulnerability. Regarding the role reversal, it is quite intriguing to see a woman getting a man drunk in order to get him to bed, with the whole thing, though, being one of mutual consent rather than any kind of coercion. Considering that the overwhelming plethora of movies that show such concepts usually have a man getting a woman drunk, frequently ending up in rape, the way it is portrayed here is as realistic as it is entertaining. Also of note is the fact that “Contact Point” includes a sex scene, although without nudity, in a rare occasion for short films.
Kim Ji-yong's cinematography is on a very high level, with the close ups and the mid shots working well for the film, allowing the protagonists to showcase their acting in the best fashion. The coloring and lighting adds to the realism the short emits, fittingly changing according to the occasion. Kim Ill-hwan's editing is a bit abrupt on occasion, as in the case of the transition from the dentist's to the bar, but in general, the mid tempo it results in is fitting for the movie's aesthetics.
Son Suk-ku as Sun-woo and Choi Hee-seo as Ji-young exhibit a wonderful antithetical chemistry that carries the movie from beginning to end, while the fact that they are both quite good-looking adds to the entertainment the movie offers. The moments of intimacy on the bed are as realistic as they are a pleasure to watch.
“Contact Point” stands out with its nuanced storytelling, visuals and the chemistry between the lead actors, making it an enjoyable and intriguing watch.
