WATCH THIS: Breaking Down the Brilliance of Bong Joon Ho

Today we celebrate the birthday of one of our favorite modern filmmakers, Bong Joon-Ho (born Sept. 14, 1969). While Bong only recently became a household name thanks to last year’s unprecedented Oscar win, his cinematic mastery goes back decades (which is no secret to those who have kept up with AFS’s programming over the years). As a storyteller, Bong Joon-ho has refined his genre influences to such a degree that his own filmmaking transcends the categorization. How does he accomplish this? A few years ago, the meticulously analytical video essay series Every Frame A Painting took on that very inquiry, producing a trio of essays that break down a few of his many subtle techniques, and their powerful psychological effects. Enjoy!