Lee Chang-dong Achieves Grand Prix at Venice... "A Film Born into the World Through the Waiting and Patience of Countless People"

[Financial News] Director Lee Chang-dong, returning to the Venice Film Festival 24 years after 'Oasis', lifted the Grand Jury Prize with his new film 'Possible Love'.
'Possible Love' won the Grand Prix, the Silver Lion—the second-place award—at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, which concluded on the 12th (local time). This marks the first time in 14 years that a Korean film has won a main award in the competition section of the Venice Film Festival, since the late director Kim Ki-duk's 'Pietà' (2012, Golden Lion). For Lee Chang-dong personally, it is his first major award at the Venice Film Festival in 24 years, since he won Best Director for 'Oasis' in 2002.
In addition to the main award, 'Possible Love' also received the International Federation of Film Critics Award. This award is selected by a jury composed of critics from the International Federation of Film Critics, separate from the film festival's official jury. Lee Chang-dong had previously won both the Best Director Award and the International Federation of Film Critics Award for 'Oasis', marking the first time in 24 years that he has won both awards simultaneously.

Lee Chang-dong received the Silver Lion trophy from director Johnnie To, who served as both a juror and presenter that day. He expressed his gratitude to Netflix, the production team, and the actors, saying, "This film would not have been able to see the world without the waiting and patience of countless people." He then called out the names of Jeon Do-yeon, Sol Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong, stating, "This award belongs to all of you."
Regarding his reason for creating the film, he stated, "I wanted to ask what can be done and what should be done through film in an era when labor is disappearing and relationships between people are breaking down," adding, "I take this award as a sign that I should continue asking that question."
At the press conference immediately following the awards ceremony, Lee Chang-dong also shared his thoughts on how to address the suffering of others in film. "Movies often appropriate and consume the pain of others," he said. "I wanted to ask, together with the audience, how filmmakers should portray the suffering of others." He added, "I thought that perhaps through the process of making a film, we could find a way to share that pain and heal together."
Director Johnnie To, who served as a juror, described 'Possible Love' as "the most mature film among Lee Chang-dong's works," stating, "The style is delicate and subtle, and I liked every detail of the film and the reflection contained within it."
'Possible Love' tells the story of Ho-seok (Sol Kyung-gu), a laid-off worker, and his wife Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon), as well as documentary director Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong) and her husband Sang-woo (Zo In-sung), who meet through the production of a documentary and confront their different lives and hidden desires. It is Lee Chang-dong's first feature film in eight years since 'Burning'. The film premiered in Venice on the 6th and received a standing ovation lasting about seven minutes.

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