SMALL FRY
잔챙이

South Korea202395 minKorean with English subtitlesCanadian PremiereDrama, First Feature, Sports

Ho-jun, a flailing actor, has found relative success as a social media influencer, hawking fishing hacks. He preps his live stream at his preferred fishing spot, only to be disrupted by an obnoxious stranger whose bad vibes are ruining the morning. The stranger is Director Nam, a hotshot (and hot-headed) independent film director about to shoot his first commercial feature. He’s invited rising actress Hee-jin for a quiet pondside chat to convince her that his film will be a star-making breakout role—only Hee-jin isn’t sure about Director Nam’s film, or his ulterior motives. As the day progresses, links between Ho-jun, Director Nam, and Hee-jin entwine and unravel to reveal each character’s ambition, pettiness, and pathos as they try to reel in their respective dreams.

In an impressively lean and resourceful production, Small Fry director Joongha Park and co-writer Howon Kim (who also stars as Ho-jun) have crafted a funny, biting, and heartfelt meta film commentary about the strains on artistic process and purpose, especially when confronted with the demands of the commercial industry.

– Aram Siu Wai Collier