The Handmaiden

This article is about 아가씨 (Agassi), the 2016 film. For the servant, see handmaiden. For other uses, see The Handmaid.
The Handmaiden

Theatrical release poster
Hangul 아가씨
Revised Romanization Agassi
Directed by Park Chan-wook
Produced by
  • Park Chan-wook
  • Syd Lim
Screenplay by
  • Park Chan-wook
  • Chung Seo-kyung
Based on Fingersmith
by Sarah Waters
Starring
Music by Cho Young-wuk
Cinematography Chung Chung-hoon
Edited by
  • Kim Jae-bum
  • Kim Sang-bum
Production
companies
  • Moho Film
  • Yong Film
Distributed by CJ Entertainment
Release dates
Running time
 145 minutes
Country South Korea
Language Korean, Japanese
Budget ₩10 billion ($8.8 million) (estimate)[1]
Box office $35.2 million[2]

The Handmaiden (Hangul: 아가씨; RR: Agassi; lit. Lady) is a 2016 South Korean erotic psychological thriller film directed by Park Chan-wook and starring Kim Min-hee, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong and Kim Tae-ri.[3] It is adapted from the novel Fingersmith by Welsh writer Sarah Waters, with the setting changed from the Victorian era to Korea under Japanese colonial rule.[4][5] The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.[6][7][8][9][10]

Plot

In Japanese-occupied Korea, a conman operating under the sobriquet of "Count Fujiwara" hires a pickpocket named Sook-Hee from a family of con artists to become the maid of the mysterious Japanese heiress Lady Hideko, whom Fujiwara plans to marry and to commit to an asylum in order to steal her inheritance. Sook-Hee, taking on the name "Tamako", enters Hideko's household, which is controlled by her authoritarian Uncle Kouzuki, a collector of antique erotica. Kouzuki forces Hideko to perform readings of his erotica (which are then auctioned off) for aristocratic guests. Hideko's aunt performed the readings before her, and eventually killed herself to escape her husband's abuse (or perhaps was killed by him).

Unknown to Sook-Hee, Hideko and Fujiwara plan to elope to Russia and steal Sook-hee's identity, committing her to the asylum in Hideko's place, in order to escape Kouzuki. Hideko and Sook-Hee grow closer, and both begin to have doubts about their respective deceptions. The two experiment sexually with each other and fall in love. Sook-Hee stops a suicide attempt by Hideko, who reveals her and Fujiwara's plot to Sook-Hee.

The two women conspire to betray Fujiwara and escape together. When Kouzuki departs the household on business, Hideko and Sook-Hee escape to rendezvous with Fujiwara for the elopement, though not before Hideko shows Sook-Hee Kouzuki's collection, which Sook-Hee destroys in a rage. Fujiwara acquires Hideko's inheritance and Sook-Hee is committed to the asylum in Hideko's place. Hideko then turns the tables on Fujiwara, drugging him and leaving him to be found by Kouzuki's goons, while she rejoins the escaped Sook-Hee. Sook-hee enlists her con artist family to forge passports and leaves the country with Hideko. Kouzuki tortures Fujiwara in his cellar and presses him for sexual details about his niece, but Fujiwara tricks Kouzuki into lighting him a cigarette which fills the room with deadly mercury gas, killing them both.

Cast

Production

The film entered production in mid 2015 and wrapped on October 31, 2015.[11][12]

Release

It has an 18+ rating in several countries including Taiwan and Australia due to several explicit sex scenes in the film.[13][14] It was released in South Korea on 1 June 2016.

Critical reception

The Handmaiden received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 94%, based on 119 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Handmaiden uses a Victorian crime novel as the loose inspiration for another visually sumptuous and absorbingly idiosyncratic outing from director Park Chan-wook."[15] On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 84 out of 100, based on 38 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[16]

Accolades

List of awards and nominations
Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result
2016 Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Film The Handmaiden Nominated
Best Director Park Chan-wook Nominated
Best Actress Kim Min-hee Won
Best New Actress Kim Tae-ri Won
Best Cinematography Chung Chung-hoon Nominated
Best Art Direction Ryu Seong-hee Won
Best Music Jo Yeong-wook Nominated
Technical Award Jo Sang-kyeong (costume design) Nominated
Buil Film Awards Best Film The Handmaiden Nominated
Best Director Park Chan-wook Nominated
Best Actress Kim Min-hee Nominated
Best New Actress Kim Tae-ri Won
Best Cinematography Chung Chung-hoon Nominated
Best Art Direction Ryu Seong-hee Won
Best Music Jo Yeong-wook Nominated
Buil Readers' Jury Award Park Chan-wook Won
Busan Film Critics Awards Best New Actress Kim Tae-ri Won
Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or Park Chan-wook Nominated
Queer Palm Park Chan-wook Nominated
Vulcan Award Ryu Seong-hee Won
Critics' Choice Awards[17] Best Foreign Language Film The Handmaiden Pending
Director's Cut Awards Best Actress Kim Min-hee Won
Best New Actress Kim Tae-ri Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association[18] Best Production Design Ryu Seong-hee Won
Best Foreign Language Film The Handmaiden Won
Melbourne International Film Festival Most Popular Feature Film The Handmaiden Runner-up
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association[19] Best Foreign Language Film The Handmaiden Pending
2017 National Board of Review[20] Top 5 Foreign Films The Handmaiden Won
Satellite Awards[21] Best Foreign Language Film The Handmaiden Pending

References

  1. ↑ "Box office / business for Ah-ga-ssi". IMDb. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  2. ↑ "The Handmaiden (2016)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  3. ↑ Jin, Eun-soo (May 3, 2016). "The Handmaiden generates a buzz". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  4. ↑ Dale, Martin (December 10, 2015). "Park Chan-wook Talks About Next Pic The Handmaiden". Variety. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  5. ↑ Noh, Jean (February 24, 2016). "Park Chan-wook's Handmaiden pre-sells to 116 countries". Screen Daily. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  6. ↑ Erbland, Kate (April 14, 2016). "2016 Cannes Film Festival Announces Lineup". IndieWire. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  7. ↑ Debruge, Peter; Keslassy, Elsa (April 14, 2016). "Cannes 2016: Film Festival Unveils Official Selection Lineup". Variety. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  8. ↑ Kim, Jae-heun (April 15, 2016). "Park Chan-wook's new film to compete at Cannes". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  9. ↑ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/park-chan-wook-handmaiden-homosexuality-893716
  10. ↑ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/south-korea-box-office-cannes-900292
  11. ↑ Kil, Sonia (June 21, 2015). "Oldboy Director Park Chan-wook Starts Lesbian Fingersmith Adaptation". Variety. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
  12. ↑ Giroux, Jesse (November 3, 2015). "First Look at Park Chan-wook's Fingersmith Adaptation The Handmaid". JoBlo.com. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
  13. ↑ "View Title | Australian Classification". www.classification.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  14. ↑ "'The Handmaiden' director defends sex scenes as necessary". Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  15. ↑ "The Handmaiden". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  16. ↑ "The Handmaiden". Metacritic. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  17. ↑ "La La Land Leads with 12 Nominations for the 22nd Annual Critics' Choice Awards". Critics' Choice. December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  18. ↑ "42nd Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards 2016 Winners". Los Angeles Film Critics Association. December 4, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  19. ↑ "The 2016 WAFCA Awards Nominations". December 3, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  20. ↑ "National Board of Review Announces 2016 Award Winners". National Board of Review. November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  21. ↑ Kilday, Gregg (November 29, 2016). "Satellite Awards Nominees Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 29, 2016.

External links

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