“That’s as far as questions about ‘Assassin(s)’ go” ... Response halted at BIFF opening-film press conference

[Financial News]  At a press conference for the opening film of the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), festival officials stopped a response when a question about the film ‘Assassin(s)’ came up. The question was raised after the film’s official festival schedule was recently canceled amid controversy over historical distortion.

A screening and press conference for the 31st BIFF opening film ‘Day and Night Are for Each Other’ were held at the Medium Theater of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan, on the afternoon of the 6th. Director Kim Jong-kwan, who directed the film, and actors Shim Eun-kyung, Kim Min-a, Joo Jong-hyuk, Han Sun-hwa, Jang Ryul, Jeon So-young and Kim Dong-hwi attended.

During the press conference, a question came up about ‘Assassin(s),’ whose BIFF-related events had all recently been canceled.

The question was directed at Shim Eun-kyung and director Kim Jong-kwan, both of whom made special appearances in ‘Assassin(s).’

The moderator, programmer Jung Ji-hye, stopped the question before anyone could respond. “I’ll speak on their behalf. Since this is a press conference for the opening film, we’d like to focus our conversation on that film,” Jung said. She added, “Regarding the film ‘Assassin(s),’ the Busan International Film Festival has issued an announcement, so please refer to that.”

‘Assassin(s),’ which opened on the 23rd of last month, is a film that adds cinematic conjecture to the pursuit of those behind the August 15, 1974 shooting incident. Afterward, some in political circles and parts of the conservative camp criticized the film’s content as historical distortion.

As the controversy continued, production company Hive Media Corp canceled all events related to ‘Assassin(s)’ that had been scheduled for BIFF. Shim Eun-kyung made a special appearance in the film as an employee of the Tokyo branch of Far East Trading Company.

Meanwhile, the BIFF opening film ‘Day and Night Are for Each Other’ depicts conversations between four couples, set in a single café.

[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter