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'Poetry' of Korea wins best screenplay award in Cannes

Renowned Korean director Lee Chang-dong won the best screenplay award for his latest film "Poetry" at the international film festival which closed in Cannes, France, Sunday.

The film, Lee's fifth feature, tells the story of an elderly lady who finds happiness in learning poetry for the first time, while a harsh reality forces her to suffer guilt and fear. Written by the director himself, the story has drawn rave reviews with emphatic insight into crimes and redemption.

"I'm delighted and happy to think that the virtue of scenarios has been acknowledged (with this prize)", Yonhap News quoted Lee as sayisng in a press conference after the 63rd Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony. "This will (give me) momentum and is encouragement for me to keep up with my work".

The film's main character Mija lives with her grandson in a small apartment in a suburban town. She begins taking a poetry class at a cultural center and is enchanted by the challenge of writing from her life's experience. But her bliss soon gets overshadowed by the discovery of her advancing Alzheimer's disease and her grandson's involvement in a group rape, which prompts the victim's suicide.

Playing 66-year-old Mija is former popular movie star Yoon Jung-hee, who made an impressive return after 17 years of absence from the screen.

She was widely thought to be a strong contender for the best actress award, but the honor went to France's Juliette Binoche, who played an art dealer in Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami's "Certified Copy".

"I feel greatly indebted to Yoon Jung-hee", Lee said, "As my name was called, I even felt sorry", Lee said. "But the fact that they (audience) were moved by Yoon Jung-hee's acting and supported her to the end, I believe that itself is the award".

Lee's 2007 film, "Secret Sunshine", earned Jeon Do-yeon the best actress award at the Cannes festival. Jeon came to this year's Cannes with Im Sang-soo's "The Housemaid - 2010", a remake of Kim Ki-young's 1960 erotic thriller of the same title, which was also in the official competition section.

Korean directors and actors have been regulars in the world's biggest film festival since Im Kwon-taek won the best director award with "Chihwaseon". Park Chan-wook received the second-highest honor, the Grand Prix, in 2004 for " Old Boyr" and the jury prize last year with "Thirst".

This year's Palme d'or, the top prize at the festival, went to Thailand's avant garde director Apichatpong Weerasethakul with "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives".

Korean director Hong Sang-soo's "Ha Ha Ha" won the top prize at the Cannes festival sidebar competition, Un Certain Regard, on Saturday.


이창동 감독 칸 각본상 수상

이창동 감독의 "시"가 칸 국제 영화제 에서 각본상을 수상했다. 이 영화는 이창동 감독의 5번째 출품작으로, 이감독은 작년 칸 영화제 심사 위원을 맡기도 했다.

올해 칸에서 가장 감동적인 작품으로 꼽힌 "시"는 60이 다 된 할머니와 손자의 이야기를 다루고있다. 늙어가는 한 여성이 돈, 나이, 그리고 망나니 같은 손자의 성범죄 같은 어려움에 직면하면서 이 시를 통해 극복해 나가고 삶의 의미를 찾는 내면을 다뤘다.

이창동 감독은 인간 내면의 어두움에 대해 조명했으며 "시는 가장 아름답고, 또 시를 창작하는 것은 아름다움을 찾아가는 과정이라고 생각했다"며 영화의 주제를 설명했다. 그렇기에 그는 "시가 없이는 희망이 없다"고 덧붙였다.

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