New York-based distribution company Film Movement has purchased North American rights to the hit Korean documentary My Love, Don’t Cross That River. Directed by JIN Mo-young, the film chronicles the end of the relationship of the “100-year-old lovebirds”, a couple who were married for 76 years. A huge hit at home, the film was seen by 4.8 million people, grossing USD 32.5 million, a record amount for an independent film in South Korea.

 

JIN’s film debuted at the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival last year, where it received the Audience Award, before its record-breaking run in theaters in December. Since then, the film has found wide acclaim on the festival circuit, earning Audience Awards at the Moscow International Film Festival and Visions du Réel in Nyon, the Best Documentary Prize at the Los Angeles Film Festival, a Special Jury Award and La Trois Award from the Millenium Documentary Film Festival, as well as the Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Culture & Tourism Special Prize from the TRT documentary Awards and Best Independent Film at the 6th Korea Film Reporters Association (KOFRA) Film Awards.

 

World sales on My Love, Don’t Cross That River are being handled by CAT&Docs. Film Movement plans to release the documentary next year.