Program Note
In a care home, a mother has been in a coma for 10 years and her carer is exhausted. The nursing robot, which looks after both of them, becomes distressed when it has to decide who it should save. The Prayer foresees a near future in which bedridden patients are looked after by robots and examines frequently unseen or overlooked care work. When a machine programmed for one purpose it becomes closer to the essence of that objective, so it inevitably reaches a realm that includes choice, anguish and obsession beyond the programming. Is it still just a machine then? At present, with the advancement of technology for human convenience progressing beyond our imagination, the scene in the film contemplating the boundary between human and non-human beings could herald a reality we may well witness soon. Actors like Lee Youyoung, Yeon Hyeran and Yesujung, whose names alone raise expectations, add real dignity to the film. (MO Eun-young)