This is the first time that a Korean film has won a top prize from any of the world's three largest film festivals -- Venice, Cannes and Berlin.
Kim delighted the audience at the awards ceremony by singing the traditional Korean folk song "Arirang" on stage to thank the jury, according to foreign press reports.
"I express my endless thanks to all actors, actresses and staff who took part in this movie," the 51-year-old director was quoted as saying. "I also would like to honor all of you who chose 'Pieta' at this film festival."
He added in a written interview with South Korean media outlets that because of the high level of interest shown by Italian fans and critics he had hoped for the coveted Golden Lion award this year.
"There was considerable interest in the movie by Italian fans and I frankly thought Pieta had a chance," he said. The director said that he believed the award should be considered as recognition given to the South Korean movie industry as a whole.
Jo Min-su, the film's lead actress who was on stage together with the director, said as tears of joy streamed out of her eyes that she is more happy because it is the first time that the Golden Lion award goes to a Korean film.
The movie is about a ruthless young debt collector who gradually changes after a mysterious woman who claims to be his long-lost mother visits him, apologizing for abandoning him at birth. But the woman suddenly disappears and the man is confronted with an enormous secret.
The film, whose title was inspired by Michelangelo's masterpiece sculpture "Pieta," is Kim's 18th in total since debuting in 1996 with "Crocodile."
Kim won prizes at Venice and Berlin for "3-Iron" and "Samaritan Girl" both in 2004. He is also known for his 2003 film, "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring," which depicted the life of a Buddhist monk and his young protege while encapsulating features of Buddhist philosophy.
The director, who once said he was a "monster who grew on his inferiority complex" acquired his art through self-learning and only received middle school education. He worked as a laborer in factories before going to Paris to study about film. After his return, he started writing scenarios for movies and received his first recognition in 1996 and debuted as director a year later.
During the Venice festival, the Silver Lion for best director went to Paul Thomas Anderson for "The Master." The film also earned him a joint best actor award for Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The best actress award went to Israeli actress Hadas Yaron for her role in Rama Burshtein's "Fill the Void."
Two other South Korean films received praise and out-of-competition awards.
Jeon Kyu-hwan's film "The Weight" won the Queer Lion award while Yoo Min-young's "Invitation" secured the Orizzonti award for Best Youtube Short Film.
Local film critics said that Kim's award is noteworthy because it is the result of continuous efforts by South Korean directors and producers to compete on the global scale.
"It is unusual for the Venice Film Festival jury to give the top award to an Asian film, but it should raise the overall stature of the event in the eyes of the world," a Korean film expert said. He added that Kim is well-known in Europe as a "star director," and there was really no other film in Venice this year that received as much attention as "Pieta."
South Korean film made its global debut when director Kang Dae-jin's "Mabu" won the Silver Bear award at the 1961 Berlin International Film Festival
In the past 50 years the local film industry has been receiving notice for its distinct creations and world class performers, with many awards being won from the late 1980s onwards.
Im Kwon-taek's "Sibaji," or Surrogate Woman, received fame when its leading role played by Kang Soo-yeon was honored with the Volpi Cup Best Actress award at Venice.
This was followed by Jang Sun-woo's "Passage of the Buddha" also known as the "The Avatamska Sutra" grabbing the Alfred Bauer Award at the 1994 Berlin International Film Festival and more recently Park Chan-wook's "Thirst" securing the Grand Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
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Credit & Source
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr
2012.09.09
- Kajima -
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