Iron Mask
When young Jae-woo (Joo Jung-hyuk, “Extraordinary Lawyer Woo”) reaches the upper ranks of South Korea’s national kendo team selection, he is shocked to learn his main competition is the man who accidentally killed his older brother.
Director Kim Sung Hwan scheduled to attend.
Witness the fury of kendo sparring live and up close at the May 17 screening at the Egyptian!
In Iron Mask, Kim Jae-woo (Joo Jong-hyuk) enrolls in a demanding boot camp alongside competitors nationwide, all vying for spots on the kendo national team. Unknown to the others, Jae-woo harbors a personal vendetta against Tae-su (Moon Jin-seung), the team's most talented competitor, who accidentally killed his brother when they were boys. Jae-woo is forced to confront his past traumas and the person who embodies them as his mounting bitterness threatens to sideline him. Kim Sung-hwan, in his directorial debut, presents a screenplay devoid of clichés found in typical sports-revenge narratives. Instead, he crafts a gripping narrative through compelling characters, captivating cinematography, immersive sound design, and gripping action sequences to a satisfying conclusion. Iron Mask won the Korean Fantastic Film Award at last year's Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, offering a beautifully nuanced melodrama set in the world of kendo martial arts seldom seen by Western audiences.
- Original Language Title: 만분의 일초 (Man-bun-ui Il-cho)
- Director: Kim Sung Hwan
- Principal Cast: Joo Jong-hyuk, Moon Jin-seung
- Premiere Status: North American
- Country: South Korea
- Year: 2023
- Running Time: 100 min.
- Producer: Lee Kang-kyu
- Screenplay: Kim Sung Hwan
- Cinematographers: Lee Gwangmin
- Editors: Kim Sung Hwan, Park Joo-young
- Music: Lim Min-ju
- Website: Official Film Website
- Awards: London East Asia Film Festival 2023 (Best Film), Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival 2023 (Fantastic Film Award)
- Filmography: Debut Feature Film
- Language: Korean
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- International Sales: M-Line Distribution