3 Korean directors return to Cannes
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Ha Jung-woo, left, and Kim Min-hee are seen in a scene from “The Handmaiden.” / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment
By Jason Bechervaise
Securing film festival invitations is crucial for many filmmakers, especially those working on independent or non-English-language films. A Cannes Film Festival invite for Korean directors is therefore seen as a major achievement and all the more so if one becomes a regular fixture at the world’s most prestigious film festival.
Interestingly, the three Korean filmmakers who have films in Cannes this year have attended the festival before. Park Chan-wook, of course, won the Grand Prix for his seminal feature “OldBoy” and returned in 2009 with his vampire thriller “Thirst.”
Na Hong-jin has also been to the festival twice, with “The Chaser” (2008) and “The Yellow Sea” (2011), which screened in Out of Competition and Un Certain Regard, respectively.
Yeon Sang-ho returns to the Croisette for the second time, having previously landed a spot in the Directors’ Fortnight for his acclaimed animation “The King of Pigs” in 2012.
Director Park Chan-wook, right, talks with his production designer Ryu Seong-hee. / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment
Park’s new film, “The Handmaiden,” is the first Korean film in competition since 2012, when Hong Sang-soo’s “In Another Country” and Im Sang-soo’s “The Taste of Money” premiered in Cannes.
Park’s latest invitation underscores his reputation as one of Korea’s leading auteurs, returning seven years after his last film.
His new film set in the 1930s is inspired by Sarah Waters’ British novel “Fingersmith.” But unlike the novel’s Victorian-era setting, the film takes place during Japan’s occupation of Korea. It is about the relationship between a wealthy heiress, played by Kim Min-hee, and her handmaiden (Kim Tae-ri), after the latter is hired by a conman (Ha Jung-woo) to extort the heiress’ fortune.
The film will premiere on May 14, before hitting local screens June 1. Given the homosexual themes, it will be interesting to see how the revered director tackled this topic, and how the film is received at home and abroad.
“The Wailing,” directed by Na Hong-jin, right, is produced by Fox International Productions. It took almost six months to shoot and was in post-production for more than a year. / Courtesy of 20th Century Fox, Korea
The reactions at Cannes and other festivals not only underline the importance of such events in providing films with crucial exposure, but also illustrate how the reception of Korean films can differ between local and international critics and viewers alike.
Yeon Sang-ho’s zombie thriller “Train to Busan” premieres in Midnight Screenings ― an ideal launching pad for such a genre film. It follows in the footsteps of Hong Won-chan’s “Office” that bowed in the same program last year.
This is Yeon’s live-action feature debut. He has developed a strong reputation for acclaimed gritty animations, including “The King of Pigs” and “The Fake” that both travelled widely on the festival circuit.
“Train to Busan” is a sequel to his animation “Seoul Station.” It is about a zombie outbreak that hits the peninsula. In his new film, the unknown virus takes hold of a Busan-bound KTX train filled with people. It stars Gong Yoo (“A Man and a Woman”), Jung Yu-mi (“In Another Country”) and Ma Dong-suk (“The Royal Tailor”).
The film will have its world premiere in Cannes on May 13 and is expected to hit screens in Korea this summer, in what is expected to be another competitive season at the box office.
“The Wailing,” meanwhile, marks the third consecutive Cannes invitation for Na Hong-jin. It is an unprecedented feat for the Korean director, who has developed a strong sense of style and rhythm in his films, especially when it comes to film’s pacing.
His latest is set in a rural village that is besieged by a mysterious virus. When the daughter of a police officer also becomes infected, his family resorts to using a shaman. The policeman is played by Kwak Do-won (“The Attorney”), while Hwang Jung-min (“Veteran”) stars as the shaman and Chun Woo-hee (“Han Gong-ju”) is the young woman who appears in the village.
The film was initially scheduled to be released locally on May 12, but following a rapturous reception after its press screening in Seoul, the release date was moved forward by a day, given the potential for strong word-of-mouth.
“The Wailing” will have its international premiere at Cannes just under a week later on May 18.
In terms of shorts, director Park Young-ju of the Korea National University of Arts is vying for a prize in the Cinefondation Selection with her 29-minute “1 Kilogram,” about a woman, played by Lee Seung-yeon, who lost her son.
Cannes Film Festival takes place May 11-22.
Jason Bechervaise is a film columnist for The Korea Times. He can be reached at jase@koreanfilm.org.uk.