Lee Chang-dong's 'Possible Love' aims for top prize at Venice film fest
Actors Sul Kyung-gu, left, and Jeon Do-yeon in a scene from Lee Chang-don'g film "Possible Love" / Courtesy of Netflix
Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong's latest feature "Possible Love" is set to vie for the Golden Lion at this year's prestigious Venice International Film Festival that begins Wednesday.
The film will compete alongside 20 other features nominated for the main Competition section at the 83rd edition of the festival that runs in Venice through Saturday next week.
"Possible Love" is Lee's first feature film in eight years following the critically acclaimed "Burning" (2018) and has been selected as the Korean Film Council's pick to represent Korea at the Oscars.
The new film, starring a star-studded cast, including Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong, follows the subtle feelings and relationship between a laid-off worker and his wife and a documentary maker and her affluent husband.
The invitation marks Lee's return to the film festival after 24 years, following the romance drama "Oasis" (2002). The film won the Silver Lion for best director and the FIPRESCI critics award, while lead actress Moon So-ri won the Marcello Mastroianni Award presented to emerging actors.
Meanwhile, other films vying for the top prize at this year's Venice film fest include Danny Boyle's "Ink," Hollywood actor-director Casey Affleck's "Company," Martin McDonagh's "Wild Horse Nine" and Hirokazu Kore-eda's "Look Back."
American director-actor Maggie Gyllenhaal leads the jury.
The Venice film fest is one of the world's most prestigious international film festivals, alongside the Cannes Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival.
In 2012, Korean director Kim Ki-duk's crime thriller "Pieta" became the first Korean film to win the Golden Lion. Last year, Park Chan-wook's "No Other Choice" was invited to compete for the top prize for the first time for a Korean film in 13 years.