Director Lee Hwan's "Project Y" won the Best Film in Competition award at the 10th London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF).
According to the festival's executive director on November 3 (local time), "Project Y" received the top prize at the closing ceremony held in London, United Kingdom, on November 2. The film tells the story of two women trying to escape from the bottom of society who steal hidden black money and gold bars, with Han Sohee and Jeon Jongseo starring in the lead roles.
The jury commented on the film, stating, "By placing the female perspective at the center of the story, the film deconstructs the conventions of the traditional noir genre and establishes female agency as the driving force behind desire, tension, and moral ambiguity. It boldly expands the horizon of contemporary neo-noir cinema and showcases new possibilities for Asian film."
The London East Asia Film Festival is a leading European festival introducing creative and challenging films from Korea and other Asian countries. This year, a total of 45 films were screened. "Project Y" won the top prize in the competition section, which featured eight films, including "Girl" directed by Seo Gi and "Upstairs Neighbors" directed by Ha Jungwoo.
Director Lee met with the audience locally and said, "I am delighted and honored that 'Project Y' was screened at the London East Asia Film Festival following the Toronto, Busan, and Hawaii International Film Festivals. I hope more viewers will experience 'Project Y' in theaters and complete the film with their own perspectives."
Meanwhile, at this year's festival, director Kang Yoonseong's "Middle World," which was selected as the opening film for the "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Section," received the Future of Asia Cinema Award, and "National Treasure" by Japan-based Korean director Lee Sangil was screened as the closing film.
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