Third International Prize for New E J-yong Drama
E J-yong’s new film
The Bacchus Lady, which debuted earlier this year in the Panorama section of the Berlin International Film Festival, received a Special Mention for Best Feature Film from the 17th Asiatica Film Mediale in Italy. The festival took place
over September 17th to October 2nd and awarded its top prize this year to the Israeli film
Sand Storm by Elite Zexer.
The film features legendary actress
YOUN Yuh-jung, star of
KIM Ki-young’s films
Woman Of Fire (1971) and
Insect Woman (1972), as an elderly prostitute working in a Central Seoul park who becomes an unwitting angel of death when lonely clients begin to ask her to assist them with their plans for suicide.
Following Berlin, The Bacchus Lady received several global invitations, including to the Hong Kong, Munich, Vancouver and BFI London Film Festivals. The film also picked up the Cheval Noir Awards for Best Actress (for YOUN) and for Best Screenplay from the Fantasia International Film Festival in August. The film was released in Korea on October 6th and shot straight to the top of the diversity chart, accruing over 33,000 admissions during its first three days in theaters.