University of Iowa News Release

Oct. 15, 2007

International Writing Program Cinematheque presents free screening Oct. 21

The University of Iowa International Writing Program (IWP) Cinematheque series will present a free screening of the 2001 South Korean film "Take Care of My Cat" at 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, in Room E105 of the Adler Journalism Building.

The screening will be introduced by Kim Reon, a Korean writer now in residence in the IWP. Kim is the author of six novels, one of which won the 1997 Hankyoreh Literature Award. Her fiction has appeared in numerous journals and magazines.  She participates in the IWP through the support of the Korean Literature Translation Institute.

The film, directed by Jeong Jae-eun, a graduate of the Korean National University of the Arts, is a coming-of-age story about five young women who have recently graduated from high school. When the most ambitious woman in the group moves to Seoul, each of her friends reacts in a different way.

"Koreans don't like cats," says director Jeong. "Cats are fussy, independent, and don't listen to what you tell them. If they don't like their home, they simply leave." In this film Jeong makes cats a  symbol for the independent attitudes of Korea's young women.

Critic Darcy Paquet wrote, "This movie seems to get on the inside of what it is like to be young. From its ultra-cool soundtrack to its clever use of text messaging, the film is filled with memorable details that remain long in the viewer's memory."

The IWP introduces talented writers to American life; enables them to take part in American university life; and provides them with time, in a setting congenial to their efforts, for the production of literary work. Since 1967, more than 1,100 writers from more than 120 countries have attended the IWP, including Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk from Turkey.

This fall the IWP is hosting writers from more than 30 countries through November, including the program's first participants from Malta and Montenegro. The schedule will provide many opportunities for the public to meet and interact with the writers in social events, formal and informal readings, lectures, performances, film screenings and panel discussions.

The evolving calendar of events is accessible at http://www.uiowa.edu/artsiowa and on the IWP site. These calendars will be updated regularly as new events are added.

Biographies of all the IWP writers are accessible at http://www.uiowa.edu/%7Eiwp/WRIT/WRITmain.html. A description of the program and the 2007 residency period is accessible at http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2007/august/080607iwp-anniversary.html.

For UI arts information and calendar updates, visit http://www.uiowa.edu/artsiowa. To receive UI arts news by e-mail, go to http://list.uiowa.edu/archives/acr-news.html, click the link "Join or leave the list (or change settings)" and follow the instructions.

STORY SOURCE: University of Iowa Arts Center Relations, 300 Plaza Centre One, Suite 351, Iowa City, IA 52242-2500