“The Aesthetics of 144p Low Resolution” … The Reverse-Approach Film ‘Dry Leaf,’ Shot on a 2008 Phone, Opens in November

In an age of high-definition images, the reverse-approach film 〈Dry Leaf〉 will open in South Korea in November.

Cinematograph, the film’s importer and distributor, announced on October 26 that 〈Dry Leaf〉 will open in South Korea in November. 〈Dry Leaf〉 is a road movie about “Lisa,” a sports photographer who leaves a letter and disappears. Her father, “Irakli,” travels across Georgia with “Levani,” his invisible companion, searching for his daughter.

What has drawn the attention of filmmakers around the world to 〈Dry Leaf〉 is its use of an old Sony Ericsson W595 camera. Shot with the camera on a mobile phone released in 2008, the film was made at 144p resolution in an era when 4K has become commonplace, surpassing FHD. Director Alexandre Koberidze said he drew considerable inspiration from painting techniques, and that he conceived and made 〈Dry Leaf〉 in a way similar to how Impressionist paintings were created.

The stills released alongside the announcement of the film’s release offer a glimpse of what Koberidze intended. The low-resolution images create a sense of the boundaries between eras breaking down. 〈Dry Leaf〉 will be in theaters this November.