Documentary on Kim Jong-nam Assassination Not Recognized as Art Film... Importers and Distributors Protest

"Discussing the Inherent Value of Human Rights Through Actual Testimonies... Artistic Merit Already Verified"
"Proud to Meet All Four Evaluation Criteria... Reasons for Rejection Should Be Disclosed"

The documentary "Assassins," which investigates the assassination of Kim Jong-nam in North Korea, has faced backlash from distributors after failing to be recognized as an art film.

The importer and distributor The Coop, Watcha, and provider Kth demanded on the 7th that the Korean Film Council clearly disclose the reasons for the non-recognition as an art film. They stated, "The non-recognition notice specifies that 'the decision was made by a majority vote of the committee in the art film recognition review, based on Article 1, Items 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the review criteria,' and we publicly urge the clear disclosure of the specific reasons for non-recognition according to each item of the review criteria."

The Korean Film Council's Art Film Recognition Subcommittee has codified the art film review criteria as follows: ▲ domestic and international auteur films with outstanding cinematic aesthetic value ▲ creative and experimental works that show new characteristics different from existing films in terms of subject matter, theme, and expression methods ▲ works that depict the lives of individuals, groups, society, or the nation rarely screened domestically, contributing to continuous intercultural exchange, free circulation of ideas, and expansion of cultural diversity ▲ works with preservation value as cultural heritage from artistic and socio-cultural perspectives.

"Assassins" reconstructs the case of Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un, who was assassinated on February 13, 2017, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia by two women. Directed by Ryan White, who won the directing award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival for "The Case Against 8," the film premiered at last year's Sundance Film Festival and attracted attention.

An official explained, "Rather than focusing on the assassination of Kim Jong-un, the film was made from the perspective of the two women involved in the assassination. It simultaneously reflects their actual testimonies, who mistook the situation for a YouTube hidden camera prank and committed the murder, and the international issues that arose from the consequences of the killing, discussing the intrinsic value of human rights." They added, "It aligns with the art film review criterion stating 'works that depict the lives of individuals, groups, society, or the nation rarely screened domestically, contributing to continuous intercultural exchange, free circulation of ideas, and expansion of cultural diversity.'"

However, the Korean Film Council's Art Film Recognition Subcommittee notified the film of non-recognition as an art film on the 17th of last month. The Coop, Watcha, and Kth have requested a re-examination on the 1st. They stated, "Documentaries are globally a representative genre of independent art films. This work has already been validated for its artistic achievements through invitations to prestigious international film festivals. We are confident that it meets all four criteria of the review standards." They added, "From the moment we decided to import and distribute, we planned to release it in art house cinemas and invested marketing costs accordingly to prepare for a limited release. We strongly regret this incomprehensible decision."