The sleeper surprise of early 2009, documentary Old Partner is to get a limited release in Japan this December. Korean sales and distribution company Indiestory announced that Siglo, the Japanese exhibitor that picked up rights to the film, will release it on three screens in the bustling Tokyo boroughs of Shibuya, Ginza and Shinjuku.
The low-budget HD documentary, directed by LEE Choung-ryoul, follows the daily hardships and humors of an old farmer, his feisty wife, and their long-serving but old and ailing cow. The film drew an unexpected 3 million admissions at the start of the year becoming both the highest grossing documentary and independent Korean film released locally.
Indiestory also announced sales deals for Old Partner to Taiwan and HK/China at the Asian Film Market, a business hub that runs in tandem with the Pusan Int'l Film Festival that wrapped up Oct 16.
Source http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr
