Columbus (OmeU)

In the organizer's words:

In the small US town of Columbus, Indiana, known for its iconic modern architecture, two strangers cross paths: Jin, who has traveled from Korea because his famous architect father is in a coma, and Casey, a young woman who gives up her own dreams to stay with her addicted mother. As they wander through the city and talk about the buildings, a silent dialog about art, responsibility and missed opportunities unfolds between them. Architecture becomes a mirror of their inner conflicts and a resonance chamber for questions about freedom, commitment and the search for one's own place in life.

Kogonada's feature film debut uses precise visual compositions to set the architecture and characters in relation to each other. Against the backdrop of urban architecture, the calm narrative style has an almost visual and emotionally meditative effect. The film uses architecture as an active narrative element and stages clarity, austerity, openness or imprisonment of the two main characters. At the same time, the film conveys how spaces and buildings can shape emotions, memories and thought processes. Columbus shows the city as a silent protagonist and creates an artistic and existential resonance field for characters and viewers.