Programmers at the Busan International Film Festival unveiled the opening gala for “Uprising,” a historical action thriller with an all-star Korean cast from global streaming platform Netflix rather than a traditional Korean studio. Korean content industry.
The selectors dismissed criticism that they set a troubling precedent by choosing films to skip theaters and release online within weeks. Instead, he pointed out, the festival runs a long series of TV series and a content awards ceremony for movies, TV series and online content.
At Wednesday’s opening title press presentation, festival programmer Park Dosin framed the response in terms of experimentation and exploration. “Firstly, we enjoyed the movie so much that we were able to forget about the format while we were watching it. Second, we have long chosen independent films for opening night, but it’s about time. “Maybe it’s time for a change. Try something more obviously popular. I thought this was worth a try,” Park said.
Director Kim Sang-man was even more optimistic. “We all know that the industry is currently in a difficult situation, but this is a normal process,” Kim said. “The film industry isn’t going away.”
The film has been a controversial choice, despite the current South Korean box office slump and the often-criticized destructive power of domestic and international streamers.
The rich production of this film relies heavily on the technology and experience of South Korea’s mainstream film industry. Park Chan-wook, director of “Old Boy” and “Mr. Revenge,” is also co-writer and producer of “Uprising.” Also starring movie stars Kang Dong-won (“Peninsula,” “The Broker,” “Kundo: The Age of Rampage”) and Park Jung-min (“Hellbound,” “The Decision to Leave”) in the roles of rebellious slaves. I’m appearing. With another main character.
Although Park did not appear at the Busan press event, she was an invisible presence in Busan and during the film’s production. “Although he was rarely on set, his scriptwriting skills and details were a huge contribution,” Kim said. “His way of writing dialogue helped us express real feelings and emotions.”
However, the press event inevitably returned to the origins of the film. “I want to make it clear that Busan’s position as a supporter of independent films has not changed,” Park said after answering the third or fourth question about Netflix.
“I know this is a controversial topic, but perhaps we should question this controversy itself, since screen size is really the main criterion for determining whether or not a movie is a movie. Okay,” Kim said.
