6th Okinawa International Movie Festival

Heralded Korean director Dong-hyeuk Hwang is known for his serious and affecting films like “Silenced,” about the sexual abuse of deaf children. Thus it surprised some when he decided to make a comedic fantasy. The decision was a wise one though. “Miss Granny” has been a huge hit in Korea, with 8.6 million people viewing it in the cinema only two months since it’s opening.

Now director Hwang is making Okinawa International Movie Festival the first festival to screen the hit film and it’s a perfect fit with the irreverent tone of the fest. The auteur is personally introducing the work to audiences here and enjoying with tropical breezes of Okinawa.

Hwang notes that the beginnings of the project were coincidental, “One of my friends actually gave me the first draft of this script, it’s not from me.”

The story entails a 74-year old women who gets transposed into the body of her 20-year old self.  Says Hwang “I always liked this kind of fantasy story like (the Tom Hanks movie) “Big.” It’s kind of a reversed version of “Big”.”

The filmmaker took to the idea immediately. He notes, “I liked the basic idea of this script and when I read the story it reminded me of my mother and my grandmother. My grandfather passed away in his 50s and my father passed away when he was 34. I was 5. So my mom worked so hard to support two children.”

Hwang, who received a MA in filmmaking from USC in LA, has skyrocketed to success in Korea. His 2007 debut “My Father” did excellent box office and the arresting “Silenced” (2011) was a smash success with over 4.7 million people seeing it.

Yet the director has outdone himself with “Miss Granny.” It’s already both a financial and critical victory, with a long run still in front of it.

Perhaps significantly it’s Hwang most personal story to date. “When I read the script it automatically reminded of my mom’s history and my mom’s life. That’s why I was attracted to this script. It’s the story I wanted to tell my mom as a present.”

Hwang’s comedic fantasy is reaching Okinawan audiences, proving the personal is also universal.