Lee Hye-young and Kim Min-hee Star in 'A Novel Writer's Film' Invitation
Hong Sang-soo's Sixth Entry... Already Won Best Director and Screenplay
"Praising the Beauty of Chance Encounters and Telling Truthfulness"
Director Hong Sangsoo has been invited to the competition section of the Berlin International Film Festival for the third consecutive year. On the 19th (local time), the Berlin Film Festival Executive Committee announced the films competing in the festival, mentioning 'The Novelist’s Film.' It is Hong's twenty-seventh feature film. The story follows novelist Junhee as she visits the bookstore of a missing junior colleague. The film is intricately crafted with scenes of her climbing a tower alone, meeting a filmmaker couple, and persuading an actress she meets in a park to make a film. The cast includes Lee Hye-young, Kim Min-hee, Seo Young-hwa, Kwon Hae-hyo, Jo Yoon-hee, and Ki Ju-bong. Filmed in black and white over two weeks from March last year on the outskirts of Seoul, Hong took charge of directing, writing, cinematography, editing, and music. His partner Kim Min-hee served as the lead actress and production manager. The film will be released domestically in the first half of this year.
This marks Hong's sixth entry into the Berlin Film Festival competition section. Previously, his films 'Night and Day (2008),' 'Nobody’s Daughter Haewon (2013),' 'On the Beach at Night Alone (2017),' 'The Woman Who Ran (2019),' and 'Introduction (2021)' stood shoulder to shoulder with world-renowned works. Hong won trophies for two consecutive years until last year: the Silver Bear for Best Director for 'The Woman Who Ran' and the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay for 'Introduction.' Kim Min-hee won the Silver Bear for Best Actress for 'On the Beach at Night Alone.'
Karl Schatrian, Executive Director of the Berlin Film Festival, introduced Hong, a regular guest, as "one of the directors we love." He said, "He shows the most consistent and innovative storytelling in contemporary cinema," adding, "'The Novelist’s Film' praises the beauty of chance encounters and speaks of truthfulness in a dishonest film world." This year's festival will be held from the 10th to the 20th of next month. Seventeen films, including 'AEIOU' (Germany/France) directed by Nicolette Krebitz, 'Fire' (France) by Claire Denis, 'Rimini' (Austria/France) by Ulrich Seidl, 'Call Jane' (USA) by Phyllis Nagy, 'Everything Will Be Okay' (Cambodia/France) by Rithy Panh, 'La Ligne' (Switzerland/France) by Urszula Meier, 'Leonora Addio' (Italy) by Paolo Taviani, and 'Nana' (Indonesia) by Kamila Andini, will be screened in the competition section alongside 'The Novelist’s Film.'
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