Venice: South Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong's latest feature, "Possible Love," has been awarded the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the esteemed Venice International Film Festival, marking another significant achievement for Korean cinema.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the film, featuring a star-studded cast including Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong, received the accolade during the closing ceremony of the 83rd edition of the festival held in Venice. This victory is a milestone, as it is the first Korean film to clinch the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at Venice since Kim Ki-duk's "Pieta" won the Golden Lion in 2012.
For Lee Chang-dong, this win comes two decades after his romance drama "Oasis" garnered the Silver Lion for best director, with lead actress Moon So-ri winning the Marcello Mastroianni Award at the 2002 festival. In his acceptance speech, Lee expressed gratitude to the film's cast and crew, emphasizing the collaborative effort that brought the film to life.
Lee further elaborated on the film's thematic essence, highlighting the diminishing meaning of labor and the erosion of human connections in today's world. He posed the question of cinema's role in addressing these issues and acknowledged the award as encouragement to continue exploring such themes.
At a subsequent press conference, Lee discussed his intent to portray and share the pain of others through film, suggesting that the filmmaking process can facilitate mutual healing. "Possible Love," Lee's first feature in eight years following "Burning" (2018), explores the intertwined lives of two couples facing personal and societal challenges.
The film premiered at Venice, receiving a warm reception with a seven-minute standing ovation and positive critical reviews. Additionally, it was honored with the FIPRESCI Prize by international film critics for best film in competition.
The film's lead actors, unable to attend the closing ceremony due to commitments at the Toronto International Film Festival, conveyed their congratulations to Lee through messages distributed by Netflix, the film's distributor. Jeon Do-yeon expressed anticipation for Lee's future projects, while Sul Kyung-gu shared his pride in participating in the film.
In other festival highlights, the Golden Lion for Best Film was awarded to May el-Toukhy's "Woman Unknown," which also earned the best actress accolade. The jury was led by American director-actor Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Lee Chang-dong's latest recognition adds to his impressive list of accolades both domestically and internationally. A former high school teacher and novelist, Lee's directorial works, including "Peppermint Candy," "Secret Sunshine," and "Poetry," have received critical acclaim and numerous awards.
Following "Oasis's" dual win at Venice in 2002, Jeon Do-yeon won best actress at the Cannes Film Festival for "Secret Sunshine," and "Poetry" secured the best screenplay award at Cannes. "Possible Love" has been chosen as South Korea's official submission for the upcoming Academy Awards and is set for release in South Korea on September 23, with a Netflix debut on November 6.
The Venice International Film Festival is recognized as one of the premier film festivals globally, alongside Cannes and Berlin.
Source: Yonhap News Agency