Planet of Snail

Filmmaker Yi Seungjun's Planet of Snail focuses on the lives of a South Korean couple living as independently as they can. Blind and deaf, Cho Young-chan adapted as his senses gradually failed in childhood, and is now an accomplished writer, poet, and playwright (he also sculpts and draws). Young-chan is aided by his diminutive wife Soon-ho, who has a spinal condition. She translates and interprets the world for her husband through their shared code-language of taps on each others' hands. Meanwhile, Young-chan's towering height is a plus, especially when he can be directed while performing household chores. Their relationship seems idyllic but not absolutely co-dependent: Young-chan embarks on a trip without Soon-ho to investigate the feasibility of live theater for the blind-deaf, thereby sharpening his sense of self-reliance. But mostly the documentary provides a lyrical immersion into this remarkable couple's lives and routines. DVD extras include deleted scenes. A Grand Jury Prize winner at Amsterdam's International Documentary Film Festival, this affecting portrait is recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)