Award-winning Korean film "The Weight" goes to Busan Int'l Film Festival

Veteran actor Cho Jae-hyun plays a hunchback man in director Jeon Kyu-hwan's "The Weight" (2012), which won the Queer Lion Award at the 6th Queer Lion Awards ceremony held during the 2012 Venice International Film Festival, on September 7, 2012. [NEW]

Award-winning film "The Weight" is heading to the 17th Busan International Film Festival opening next month.

Director Jeon Kyu-hwan's "The Weight" has been set to premiere at one of the biggest international film festivals in Asia, the BIFF, which will kick off its 10-day run in Busan, South Korea, on October 4, according to organizers' press release.

"The Weight" is a story about a hunchback man working in a morgue, played by veteran actor Cho Jae-hyun.

Cho's visualization of the pain, sorrow and weight of the lonely man was recognized by the jury of the 69th Venice International Film Festival's Venice Days, the independent sidebar for emerging filmmakers, and was handed the Queer Lion prize last Friday.

The Queer Lion Awards ceremony began in 2007 to select a movie that accurately depicts sexual minorities, including transgender characters, among in- and out-of-competition pictures. Director Jeon's 106-minute feature is the first Korean film to be selected for Venice Days.

Meanwhile, this year's BIFF will open with the opening host Tang Wei, and the red carpet ceremony attended by global actors and actresses will broadcast in live for 45 minutes on KBS.

Organizers announced earlier this week that a total of 304 films from 75 countries have
been submitted to the BIFF and 49 movies produced from 21 Asian countries will premiere throughout the fest in Busan.

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10 아시아 Editor : Monica Suk monicasuk@