Back in 2014, director Kim Han-min’s “The Admiral: Roaring Currents” released in Korean and international theatres and in the process set a record for the highest grossing Korean film of all time at the domestic box office, a record that no other feature has managed to push it off of even eight years later. Based on one of the most important and famous naval battles in history, the feature benefitted from the legendary hero status of Admiral Yi Sun-shin, a man so revered and loved that he has a statue of himself in the center of Seoul. Following up such a successful production can be daunting for a person, but Kim Han-min went down a unique path to follow it up; he decided to do not one but two different features and do a full trilogy on Yi Sun-shin, with the second story coming in the form of “Hansan: Rising Dragon...
- 8/7/2022
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
A terminally ill prisoner and a despondent hospital worker steal a hearse stuffed with mob money in “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness.” This combination of odd-couple road movie and crime comedy moves along nicely for about half the running time but loses momentum when sentimentality and drawn-out male bonding take precedence over the film’s more playful components. Well served by the casting of A-list performers Choi Min-sik (“Old Boy”) and Park Hae-il (“The Host”) as the unlikely allies, “Heaven” should be warmly welcomed by local audiences but the latest offering from distinguished South Korean filmmaker Im Sang-soo is unlikely to enjoy the same international exposure as his best-known works, such as “The Housemaid.”
Originally selected for Cannes 2020 but unable to screen owing to the pandemic, Im’s film instead received its world premiere as the opening-night attraction at Busan 2021. A very different proposition from his emotionally spiky and...
Originally selected for Cannes 2020 but unable to screen owing to the pandemic, Im’s film instead received its world premiere as the opening-night attraction at Busan 2021. A very different proposition from his emotionally spiky and...
- 10/8/2021
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Kim Hongsun is directing the film which is currently shooting in Korea and the Philippines.
South Korean sales agency Finecut is launching international sales on Project Wolf Hunting at the Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm). The film is directed by Kim Hongsun, known for stylised genre films such as Metamorphosis (2019), The Chase (2017) and The Con Artist (2014).
His new film is about a cargo ship that embarks on a special mission known as ’Project Wolf Hunting’ to transport the most atrocious convicts from Manila to Busan. When prisoners start a riot onboard, the 1,630-mile journey quickly devolves into a floating, self-contained...
South Korean sales agency Finecut is launching international sales on Project Wolf Hunting at the Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm). The film is directed by Kim Hongsun, known for stylised genre films such as Metamorphosis (2019), The Chase (2017) and The Con Artist (2014).
His new film is about a cargo ship that embarks on a special mission known as ’Project Wolf Hunting’ to transport the most atrocious convicts from Manila to Busan. When prisoners start a riot onboard, the 1,630-mile journey quickly devolves into a floating, self-contained...
- 10/8/2021
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Leading Korean film sales agent Finecut has taken international rights to stylish genre actioner “Project Wolf Hunting.” The company will launch it at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents and Film Market which starts at the weekend.
Directed by Kim Hongsun, the film is set on board a cargo ship which is being used to transport dangerous criminals from Manila in the Philippines to Busan, South Korea. An escape attempt leads to a riot which in turn unleashes a sinister force.
Kim is known for delivering stylized genre films including “Metamorphosis” (2019), “The Chase” (2017), and “The Con Artist” (2014). For “Project Wolf Hunting” he has assembled a cast of Korean rising stars including Seo In-guk (“Pipeline” and TV’s “Doom At Your Service”) and Jang Dong-yoon (TV’s “Search” and “The Tale of Nokdu”) as two protagonists, alongside veteran actors Choi Guyhwa and Sung Dong-il in leading roles.
Currently shooting in Korea and The Philippines,...
Directed by Kim Hongsun, the film is set on board a cargo ship which is being used to transport dangerous criminals from Manila in the Philippines to Busan, South Korea. An escape attempt leads to a riot which in turn unleashes a sinister force.
Kim is known for delivering stylized genre films including “Metamorphosis” (2019), “The Chase” (2017), and “The Con Artist” (2014). For “Project Wolf Hunting” he has assembled a cast of Korean rising stars including Seo In-guk (“Pipeline” and TV’s “Doom At Your Service”) and Jang Dong-yoon (TV’s “Search” and “The Tale of Nokdu”) as two protagonists, alongside veteran actors Choi Guyhwa and Sung Dong-il in leading roles.
Currently shooting in Korea and The Philippines,...
- 10/7/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The Busan International Film Festival puts a strong first foot forward this year with its tightly paced and effortlessly entertaining opening film Heaven: To the Land of Happiness, marking a return to form for director Im Sang-soo. Ace Korean cinema veterans Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il share a terrific on-screen bromance in a road movie filled with laughs and thrills, and lifted by compelling moments of quiet introspection. Oldboy star Choi plays Prisoner 203, jailed several years ago for fraud who now has only a few months left on his sentence. But a trip to the hospital reveals an advanced brain tumor and yields a grim prognosis: he has just two weeks left to live. Nam-sik (Park Hae-il) is a porter at the same hospital,...
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[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/7/2021
- Screen Anarchy
The Busan International Film Festival kicked off in South Korea’s bustling southern port city Wednesday night with the world premiere of Heaven: To the Land of Happiness from veteran director Im Sang-soo (The Housemaid).
Despite a smaller scale (with theaters at 50 percent capacity) and a mask mandate for all visitors, about 1,200 audience members filled the seats of the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center, the festival’s main screening venue. The event was hosted by South Korean stars Song Joong-ki (Vincenzo) and Park So-dam (Parasite), giving the country its first red carpet ceremony since the coronavirus pandemic began....
Despite a smaller scale (with theaters at 50 percent capacity) and a mask mandate for all visitors, about 1,200 audience members filled the seats of the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center, the festival’s main screening venue. The event was hosted by South Korean stars Song Joong-ki (Vincenzo) and Park So-dam (Parasite), giving the country its first red carpet ceremony since the coronavirus pandemic began....
- 10/7/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Busan International Film Festival kicked off in South Korea’s bustling southern port city Wednesday night with the world premiere of Heaven: To the Land of Happiness from veteran director Im Sang-soo (The Housemaid).
Despite a smaller scale (with theaters at 50 percent capacity) and a mask mandate for all visitors, about 1,200 audience members filled the seats of the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center, the festival’s main screening venue. The event was hosted by South Korean stars Song Joong-ki (Vincenzo) and Park So-dam (Parasite), giving the country its first red carpet ceremony since the coronavirus pandemic began....
Despite a smaller scale (with theaters at 50 percent capacity) and a mask mandate for all visitors, about 1,200 audience members filled the seats of the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center, the festival’s main screening venue. The event was hosted by South Korean stars Song Joong-ki (Vincenzo) and Park So-dam (Parasite), giving the country its first red carpet ceremony since the coronavirus pandemic began....
- 10/7/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho was on hand to present an award to Im Kwon-taek as part of the Wednesday night opening ceremony of the Busan International Film Festival. The in-person event included many of the trappings of past ceremonies, but it was smaller due to reduced numbers and ongoing social distancing precautions.
Held at the huge open-sided Busan Cinema Center venue, proceedings kicked off with a lengthy parade of celebrities and dignitaries along an L-shaped red carpet that resembled an oversized fashion runway.
Ambassadors for Korean fashion brand Artistry were first up, setting the mood for a still glamorous event. They were followed by the directors and cast of selected Korean independent films, by an obviously delighted Japanese director Hamaguchi Ryusuke and three actors from his recent film “Drive My Car.” A smattering of overseas visitors included Sabrina Baracetti from the Udine festival of Asian films in Italy. The New...
Held at the huge open-sided Busan Cinema Center venue, proceedings kicked off with a lengthy parade of celebrities and dignitaries along an L-shaped red carpet that resembled an oversized fashion runway.
Ambassadors for Korean fashion brand Artistry were first up, setting the mood for a still glamorous event. They were followed by the directors and cast of selected Korean independent films, by an obviously delighted Japanese director Hamaguchi Ryusuke and three actors from his recent film “Drive My Car.” A smattering of overseas visitors included Sabrina Baracetti from the Udine festival of Asian films in Italy. The New...
- 10/7/2021
- by Rebecca Souw
- Variety Film + TV
Korean director Im Kwon-taek received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award from Bong Joon Ho.
In South Korea, the 26th Busan International Film Festival (Bff) opened tonight with a star-studded red carpet and veteran Korean director Im Kwon-taek receiving the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award.
Song Joong Ki, perhaps best known for his starring role in Netflix series Vincenzo, and Park So Dam, known for hers as ‘Jessica’ in Parasite, hosted the ceremony. They announced that director Bong Joon Ho was on hand to present Im with the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award “on behalf of all...
In South Korea, the 26th Busan International Film Festival (Bff) opened tonight with a star-studded red carpet and veteran Korean director Im Kwon-taek receiving the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award.
Song Joong Ki, perhaps best known for his starring role in Netflix series Vincenzo, and Park So Dam, known for hers as ‘Jessica’ in Parasite, hosted the ceremony. They announced that director Bong Joon Ho was on hand to present Im with the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award “on behalf of all...
- 10/6/2021
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Youn Yuh-jung, who won the Oscar for best supporting actress in “Minari” earlier this year, will be the subject of a special focus this year at the London Korean Film Festival. The festival will be held as an in-person event Nov. 4-19, 2021.
Youn was this week named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of 2021.
The festival’s special focus on her will include the European premiere of a digitally restoration of Youn’s first role in 1970’s “Woman of Fire,” by iconic filmmaker Kim Ki-young. Also presented in a new 4K restoration and being shown for the first time outside of Korea, is “Angel, Become an Evil Woman,” also directed by Kim, and originally released in 1990.
The festival includes two of Youn’s more recent collaborations with director Im Sang-soo, screening his “A Good Lawyer’s Wife” and “The Housemaid,” which played in competition in Cannes in...
Youn was this week named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of 2021.
The festival’s special focus on her will include the European premiere of a digitally restoration of Youn’s first role in 1970’s “Woman of Fire,” by iconic filmmaker Kim Ki-young. Also presented in a new 4K restoration and being shown for the first time outside of Korea, is “Angel, Become an Evil Woman,” also directed by Kim, and originally released in 1990.
The festival includes two of Youn’s more recent collaborations with director Im Sang-soo, screening his “A Good Lawyer’s Wife” and “The Housemaid,” which played in competition in Cannes in...
- 9/17/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Asia’s largest film festival, the Busan International Film Festival aims to become both more relevant in the wider Asia region and simultaneously more in touch with its local community.
This year, it has been downsized compared with the pre-pandemic era. But its 2021 edition will still weigh in at 223 films (features and shorts) from 70 territories.
All feature films will get multiple in-person screenings across six complexes with a total of 29 screens. That’s an improvement on 2020, when films only screened once in theaters. But restrictions remain: each venue will be limited to 50% capacity and all tickets must be reserved online and in advance.
The 26th edition of the festival is set to run Oct. 6-16, 2021.
New festival director, Huh Moon-young admitted that the coronavirus conditions in Asia-Pacific currently make it “almost impossible” for many visitors from Asia to travel to the festival. He forecast just 20-30 European and U.S.
This year, it has been downsized compared with the pre-pandemic era. But its 2021 edition will still weigh in at 223 films (features and shorts) from 70 territories.
All feature films will get multiple in-person screenings across six complexes with a total of 29 screens. That’s an improvement on 2020, when films only screened once in theaters. But restrictions remain: each venue will be limited to 50% capacity and all tickets must be reserved online and in advance.
The 26th edition of the festival is set to run Oct. 6-16, 2021.
New festival director, Huh Moon-young admitted that the coronavirus conditions in Asia-Pacific currently make it “almost impossible” for many visitors from Asia to travel to the festival. He forecast just 20-30 European and U.S.
- 9/15/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The film was selected for the Cannes 2020 label.
Im Sang-soo’s Cannes 2020 label title Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness is set to make its world premiere as Opening Film at the 26th Busan International Film Festival (Biff).
A regular at Cannes with films such as The Housemaid and The President’s Last Bang, Im saw his latest film selected to the French festival’s The Faithful category last year but, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, unable to screen anywhere.
He continued to work on post-production for Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness into this year while waiting for a release date.
Im Sang-soo’s Cannes 2020 label title Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness is set to make its world premiere as Opening Film at the 26th Busan International Film Festival (Biff).
A regular at Cannes with films such as The Housemaid and The President’s Last Bang, Im saw his latest film selected to the French festival’s The Faithful category last year but, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, unable to screen anywhere.
He continued to work on post-production for Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness into this year while waiting for a release date.
- 9/2/2021
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
“Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness,” directed by leading South Korean filmmaker Im Sang-soo, has been set at the opening night title of next month’s Busan International Film Festival
The film was previously selected by the Cannes festival for the 2020 edition that was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The screening on native soil will therefore represent its theatrical premiere.
Structured as a road movie, “Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness” is the story of two men, one an escaped prisoner, who accidentally get their hands on a large amount of money and embark on a journey, dreaming of a comfortable ending to their lives.
Festival organizers described the film as “festive and pastoral” and said that “the harmony created from Im Sang-soo’s outstanding directorial power and excellent acting by Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il ultimately turns the film into an inquiry about happiness that is warm and beautiful like no other.
The film was previously selected by the Cannes festival for the 2020 edition that was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The screening on native soil will therefore represent its theatrical premiere.
Structured as a road movie, “Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness” is the story of two men, one an escaped prisoner, who accidentally get their hands on a large amount of money and embark on a journey, dreaming of a comfortable ending to their lives.
Festival organizers described the film as “festive and pastoral” and said that “the harmony created from Im Sang-soo’s outstanding directorial power and excellent acting by Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il ultimately turns the film into an inquiry about happiness that is warm and beautiful like no other.
- 9/2/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Donna Smith’s 2W Network in the US will co-produce the adaptation with Korea’s Yulmae Entertainment.
Korean director Im Sang-soo (The Housemaid) is set to make his Hollywood feature debut with a film adaptation of art world crime novel Soho Sins by Richard Vine.
Donna Smith’s 2W Network in the US is producing the US-Korea co-production with newcomer Yulmae Entertainment in Korea.
Im’s latest feature, Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness, was selected for the Cannes 2020 ‘The Faithful’ category and is waiting for an appropriate time for release in the pandemic. He made previous outings to Cannes...
Korean director Im Sang-soo (The Housemaid) is set to make his Hollywood feature debut with a film adaptation of art world crime novel Soho Sins by Richard Vine.
Donna Smith’s 2W Network in the US is producing the US-Korea co-production with newcomer Yulmae Entertainment in Korea.
Im’s latest feature, Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness, was selected for the Cannes 2020 ‘The Faithful’ category and is waiting for an appropriate time for release in the pandemic. He made previous outings to Cannes...
- 1/11/2021
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Adding more value to their June 3rd unveiling, what went into this selection process and to be frank, some of these short descriptions will clue us in on the DNA of what we can expect to see from specific titles (including Maïwenn’s own DNA) that for the most part would have been included in the Un Certain Regard section. Here are some value added descriptions which will help figure out what the fall film festival might look like for Telluride, Tiff, Nyff.
The Faithful (or at least selected once before)
The French Dispatch by Wes Anderson (USA) – 1h43
ÉTÉ 85 by François Ozon (France) – 1h40
Asa Ga Kuru (True Mothers) by Naomi Kawase (Japan) – 2h20
Lovers Rock by Steve McQueen (United Kingdom) – 1h08
Mangrove by Steve McQueen (United Kingdom) – 2h04
Druk (Another Round) by Thomas Vinterberg – (Denmark) – 1h55
Adn (DNA) by Maïwenn (France / Algeria) – 1h30
Last Words by Jonathan Nossiter...
The Faithful (or at least selected once before)
The French Dispatch by Wes Anderson (USA) – 1h43
ÉTÉ 85 by François Ozon (France) – 1h40
Asa Ga Kuru (True Mothers) by Naomi Kawase (Japan) – 2h20
Lovers Rock by Steve McQueen (United Kingdom) – 1h08
Mangrove by Steve McQueen (United Kingdom) – 2h04
Druk (Another Round) by Thomas Vinterberg – (Denmark) – 1h55
Adn (DNA) by Maïwenn (France / Algeria) – 1h30
Last Words by Jonathan Nossiter...
- 6/10/2020
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Arguably, the 72nd edition of Cannes was one of the most historic editions in history for Asian cinema. After winning the Palme d’Or, Parasite and Bong Joon-ho quickly became a household names around the world. Even though we won’t quite get the drama of an in-person film festival this year (thanks to Covid-19), the 73rd edition of Cannes still released its full roster of would-be premieres. We’ve listed here the Asian films that did make 2020’s Official Selection.
Some overview: Asian films make up around 24% of the 55 films selected, most of which hail from East and Central Asia. Of the selection, we have some familiar names along with some newcomers, including a CGI Ghibli film, a sequel to zombie-thriller “Train to Busan,” and an omnibus love letter to Hong Kong by some of its most famous directors. See the full list below!
concept art for “Peninsula,” the...
Some overview: Asian films make up around 24% of the 55 films selected, most of which hail from East and Central Asia. Of the selection, we have some familiar names along with some newcomers, including a CGI Ghibli film, a sequel to zombie-thriller “Train to Busan,” and an omnibus love letter to Hong Kong by some of its most famous directors. See the full list below!
concept art for “Peninsula,” the...
- 6/10/2020
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
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