Sometimes you’ll find no reason to continue breathing, until you find someone who puts the breath back into you, even if you are losing it soon.

Korean director Kim Ki-Duk’s latest film, Breath, takes place in the setting of a prison in winter, starring Taiwanese star Chang Chen as Jang Jin and Korean actress Zia as Yeon. This movie has been nominated in the on-going Cannes Film Festival, a routine for almost all of Director Kim’s works as they’re mostly award-winning pieces.

Jang Jin is a criminal prisoner on a death row who repeatedly attempted suicide. From the news reports on the television, Yeon gets attracted to him over time, especially when she finds out that her husband (played by Ha Jung-Woo) is cheating on her.

Then she starts to visit Jang Jin in the prison, impersonating as his ex girlfriend. After her first visit, she started to decorate the cell with wallpapers of spring, summer and autumn and sings along as if in a musical. She even dressed herself according to the seasons featured even if it’s in bitter winter, inviting stares from the passerbys.

As the visits go on, Jang Jin opens up to her gradually and look forward to seeing her, despite his initial fear of meeting a stranger. With every meeting, they became closer, both in spirit and in body. There’s a connection between the 2 that held them together – death. Jang Jin is constantly trying to kill himself, while Yeon drowned for 5 minutes when she was young.

Yeon continued with her visits until one day, her husband’s suspicion rose and followed her, finding out her affair with the prisoner.

However, Yeon’s husband is not the only one who’s against the affair. Kang In-Hyung, who played as Jang Jin’s fellow jail mate, hated the fact that Jang Jin is attracted to her. Jealousy made him to go all out to hide the pictures that Yeon gave during the visits and tried to stop him from going to her.

Despite the pleads from her husband, Yeon visited Jang Jin and tried to squeeze the life out of him for an experience of death for 5 minutes but in vain.

As the saying goes, “jealousy kills”. Is it jealousy or love that kills in this movie? You’ve to watch Breath to find out.

The movie’s genre might be a drama, but it lies in the grey area as it brings you gloomy, hilarious and heart-wrenching scenes. Nevertheless, the strong plot and storyline makes the movie stands out from the rest. No wonder it’s nominated for the awards.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Movie Details

Opens: Dec 27

Running Time: 84 mins

Language: Korean with English & Chinese subtitles

Cast: Chang Chen, Zia, Ha Jung-Woo, Kang In-Hyung

Director: Kim Ki-Duk

Festivals & Awards: Cannes Film Festival – In Competition

Website: http://www.festivefilms.com/breath