[Movie 2007] Secret Sunshine 밀양 Milyang

[Guest joynara]

Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan):

This edition of Cannes was also a good one for Asian filmmakers. Japanese director Naomi Kawase won the Grand Prize for "The Mourning Forest," and, in a considerably more popular award, Korean performer Jeon Do-yeon took the best actress prize for her tour de force starring role as a widow who faces startling difficulties in making a life for herself in "Secret Sunshine."

TIME (Richard & Mary Corliss):

This was a year for les femmes, with many films about woman isolated in their passion or misery. One of those performances, Jeon Do-yeon's in the Korean Secret Sunshine, was the favorite to take Best Actress, and it did.

New York Times (Manohla Dargis & A.O. Scott):

This year's selection was notable for its many strong female performances, though, unusually for this French film festival, most kept their clothes on. The monopoly on sexual display was held by Asia Argento, the tattooed, snaggle-toothed love goddess of Cannes 2007, who did everything from tongue-kiss a Rottweiler (Abel Ferrara's "Go Go Tales") to lick the blood from a wounded lover's chest (Catherine Breillat's "Vieille Maîtresse"). Ms. Argento won many hearts, and a fair amount of notoriety, but the best actress prize went to Jeon Do-yeon for her exquisite and ferocious performance as a grief-stricken woman in the Korean film "Secret Sunshine," directed by Lee Chang-dong.

Variety (Todd McCarthy):

But while few would dispute that the most important prize went to the right film, the remainder of the awards bore all the earmarks of compromise-necessitated give-and-take on a jury at odds with itself, so much did the selections zig-zag among the esoteric, the political and the female-driven. [...] Jeon Do-yeon, one of South Korea's best-regarded younger thesps, copped the best actress prize for her performance as a mother whose young son is kidnapped and murdered in Lee Chang-dong's "Secret Sunshine," the one award other than the Palme d'Or widely reckoned to be right on the money.

Chicago Tribune:

In the evening's grimmest surprise, Russian actor Konstantin Lavronenko won for his portrayal of his work in "The Banishment," a pretentious allegory based on a William Saroyan short story. Korean actress Joen Do-yeon won for her indelible characterization of a young widow and mother in "Secret Sunshine." In contrast to the Lavronenko win, hers was cheered by those in the Lumiere and in the adjoining festival venue, the Debussy, where the international press corps watching a closed-circuit broadcast played the role of cinematic bleacher bums.

These are the creme de la creme of the U.S. critics, so to have them won over is what I call a unanimous sweep. Not bad for her debut on the international scene.

[Guest joynara]

More from Cannes:

SBS clip of the ceremony, Jeon's reaction, speech @ the podium, thanking Lee & Song, etc. (in Korean):

http://mplay.sbs.co.kr/news/newsVideoPlaye...e=nw0123c152699 (01:49, .asf)

In Photos and Words: Cannes International Film Festival Awards

Best Leading Actress: Jeon Do-yeon in "Secret Sunshine"

The prize for Best Leading Actress was awarded by Alain Delon to South Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon for her performance in Secret Sunshine de Lee Chang-dong.

Jeon Do-yeon overjoyed: "Good evening. I can't believe I'm up here. I heard that there were bevies of wonderful actresses during the Festival; I hope that I might be able to represent them today. I am truly honored, in any case, to have this Prize; I don't know how to receive it... Of course, I want to thank the Cannes Festival and the members of the Jury. I thank director Lee Chang-dong, who gave me the opportunity to play this role, and especially the actor Song Kang-ho, thanks to whom I was able to exist. [better translation would be '... Song Kang-ho, without whom the characterization of Shin-Ae would not have been complete.'] I thank all of you who appreciated this film Secret Sunshine. I will never forget it, for the rest of my life. Thank you very much!"

At the laureates' press conference, Jeon Do-yeon added this about her award: "It's the first time I've come to a foreign festival. I was very honored to be invited to a festival as big as Cannes. Naturally, I'm delighted to have received this Best Actress award. Before the ceremony, I was really tense; I did all I could to relax, saying to myself that nothing would happen. The people around me wouldn't stop talking to me about it, and I realy felt like hiding. I'd like to thank you all."

[rubie]

Thanks Shirley & joynara for the awesome news & pics of JDY winning the Best Actress award at Cannes, totally a deserving worthy win. CONGRATULATIONS JDY-ssi!

Jeon Do-yeon Wins Best Actress at Cannes

Monday, May 28, 2007 07:45:56

Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon has won the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role as a grieving mother and wife in "Secret Sunshine."

Jeon played a piano instructor in the film who struggles to forgive the killer of her son.

The 34-year-old actress said she will never forget everyone at Cannes who welcomed the film and thanked former South Korean culture minister and director of the film, Lee Chang-dong, and her costar in the film, actor Song Kang-ho.

It is the first time for a South Korean actress to win an international film award since Kang Soo-yeon won best actress at the Venice Film Festival 20 years ago.

"Secret Sunshine," a melodrama about death and faith, was one of the 22 films competing for the prize at the French film festival.

Romanian director Cristian Mungiu won the Cannes Film Festival's top prize, the Golden Palm, with "Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days," a harrowing portrait of an illegal abortion in Communist-era Romania.

Reported by KBS WORLD Radio

http://english.kbs.co.kr/news/newsview_sub...;key=2007052801

May 28, 2007

Jeon Do-yeon Wins Best Actress at Cannes

Jeon Do-yeon smiles on Sunday as she poses

during a photocall after winning the Best Actress award

for her role in Lee Chang-Dong's film 'Secret Sunshine'

at the 60th Cannes Film Festival at the Festival Palace in Cannes,

southern France./AFP

Jeon Do-yeon won the Best Actress award at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, which ended on Sunday, for her role in Lee Chang-song’s “Secret Sunshine.” Jeon is the first Korean and second Asian actress to win the award for best actress at the prestigious international film festival. Maggie Cheung, who was on the jury this year, won in 2004 with “Clean.” Director Lee served as a culture minister from 2003 to 2004.

When her name was announced, the Korean actress hurried on stage and greeted her audience in French. She said, “I can’t believe it. There are fabulous actresses and movies here. I don’t know if I deserve this award to represent them.” She credited Lee and Song Kang-ho, who stars opposite her, saying the director “helped me make an impossible thing possible. Song Kang-ho’s acting supplemented my role and made it look perfect. I’d like to thank him.” At this point, Song stood up and waved toward Jeon on the stage, inviting a round of warm applause. The 34-year-old actress wrapped up her comment by saying, “I will remember tonight forever. Thank you.”

Since Kang Soo-yeon won best actress at the Venice Film Festival in 1987 for her role in “Surrogate Womb”, it has taken a Korean actress 20 years to achieve a Grand Slam of the world’s three prestigious film festivals - Cannes, Venice and Berlin. Moon-So-ri won Best New Performer at Venice for her role in the film “Oasis”, which is produced by Lee Chang-dong.

A poster for "Secret Sunshine"

Many outstanding actresses competed at this year’s Cannes, including Romanian Anamaria Marinca in “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” and Russia’s Galina Vishnevskaya with “Alexandra.” “It’s a monumental achievement for an Asian actress to win the Best Actress award at Cannes,” said Pusan International Film Festival director Kim Dong-ho after attending the award ceremony. “Maggie Cheung won the award with a movie directed by a French director, and she speaks English in the movie. But Jeon has won the award with a Korean movie in which she speaks her mother tongue.”

Jeon’s achievement suggests the global film industry is paying attention not only to Korean movies but finally to Korean actors. Since 2000, Korean directors Im Kwon-taek (with “Chihwaseon” in 2002), Lee Chang-dong (with “Oasis” in 2002), Park Chan-wook (with “Old Boy” in 2004) and Kim Ki-duk (with “Samaria” and “3-Iron” in 2004) have won best director and the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes, Venice and Berlin film festivals, but no Korean actors won the best actor award before Jeon.

The grand prix Palme d'Or went to Romanian director Cristian Mungiu for “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”, a movie about abortion under the Ceausescu regime.

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0705280013.html

[rubie]

05-28-2007 06:33

Jeon Do-yeon Wins Best Actress Award at Cannes

South Korean actress Jeon Do-youn won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival in France on Sunday, becoming the second from her country to win top acting award at a major international competition.

Jeon, 34, was considered a favorite from early on, gaining acclaim for her performance in "Secret Sunshine," called "Milyang" in Korean. She plays a mother who trying to forgive a murderer who kills her son.

Lee Chang-dong, former South Korean culture minister, directed the film, his first piece since returning to the movie industry and the fourth in his directing career. Another Korean actress Moon So-ri won the Marcello Mastroianni Award as best newcomer at the 2002 Venice Film Festival for her role in "Oasis" `directed by Lee.

This is the first time that a Korean actress has ever grabbed the best award in one of the three major international film festivals since Kang Soo-yon won the Best Actress Award for her role in "the Surrogate Womb" at the Venice Film Festival in 1987. "The Surrogate Womb," called "Ssibaji" in Korean was produced by veteran director Lim Kwon-taek.

Cannes, Venice and Berlin are world's three major film festivals.

In the film, "Secret Sunshine," Jeon is quite remarkable as the stricken mother who turns to happy-clappy Protestantism in her misery, becomes deeply religious and decides to visit the now-imprisoned murderer to forgive him.

The killer thanks her but says he too has become close to God, who has already forgiven him. This sends the mother into a deep depression akin almost to madness.

Jeon's panic when her little boy is kidnapped, her disbelief that he can have been mercilessly killed and her fury when her forgiveness seems futile are portrayed with a simple and devastating power. And she is well supported by Song Kang-ho, South Korea's leading star, as the mild-mannered man who falls for her and tries to help.

The film has several different levels and is an almost Bressonian study in human suffering and its consequences. Not many others in the competition can measure up to it.

Best actor was Konstantin Lavronenko, who played the male lead in Russian film maker Andrei Zvyagintsev's "The Banishment," another gloomy film that features an abortion.

Cristian Mungiu's "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,'' a grim and gritty tale about a young woman seeking an illegal abortion in the final days of Romania's Communist dictatorship, won the Palme d'Or prize for best picture.

The award makes it a double triumph in Cannes for Romania. Romanian director Cristian Nemescu, who was killed in an automobile accident in August 2006, was posthumously awarded the top prize in the Une Certain Regard section of the festival for his film "California Dreamin'".

At the post awards press conference, winning director Mungiu said that the Palme d'Or was "so much more important than the Oscars. It says we are real filmmakers."

"Mogari no Mori'', or "The Mourning Forest'', directed by Naomi Kawase of Japan, won the runner-up Grand Prix award. This poignant film tells the story of a careworker and a retirement home resident who help each other come to terms with past grief after becoming stranded in a remote forest.

Source: The Korea Times

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2...5/141_3643.html

[rubie]

2007/05/28

S. Korean wins best actress award at Cannes Film Festival

CANNES, France, May 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon won the best actress award at the Cannes film festival Sunday for her role in "Secret Sunshine" depicting a woman struggling to rearrange her life after the tragic deaths of her husband and only son.

Jeon is the second actress from South Korea to win an award at a major international film competition. Kang Soo-yeon won the best actress award at the 1987 Venice Film Festival for her role in "Surrogate Mother."

The 34-year-old actress was considered a favorite from early on, gaining acclaim for her powerful performance as a young mother whose life is suddenly torn apart. It was directed by Lee Chang-dong, a former South Korean culture minister who previously was the director of award-winning local films like "Peppermint Candy" and "Oasis."

"I cannot believe it," Jeon said as she received the award.

"I heard there were many fascinating actresses who performed wonderfully, and I'm not sure if I'm entitled to stand here on behalf of them. I thank the Cannes and the judges who gave me this honor."

"Secret Sunshine" tells the story of Shin-ae, played by Jeon, who leaves Seoul for a remote town to rearrange her life after her unfaithful husband is killed in a car accident. Shin-ae tries her hardest to adjust to the provincial community and not to be looked down upon as a single mother, sometimes by ostentatiously pretending to be rich. Her behavior eventually causes her tragic fall when a neighbor abducts her only son and kills him after she fails to provide a huge ransom.

The movie revolves around Shin-ae's misery and the unrequited love from a nonchalant, easygoing car repair shop owner, played by Song Kang-ho. Throughout the story, the issue of religious salvation prevails as Shin-ae tries to find solace in Christianity and then bitterly turns away from it after finding her own falsity.

Jeon is one of the most versatile and well-known actresses in the South Korean movie industry, having performed a wide range of roles from that of an unfaithful urban wife (Happy End) and a countryside tomboy (My Mother, the Mermaid) to a reticent, tradition-ridden widow (Untold Scandal). She rose to stardom with the 1997 box-office hit, "The Contact."

hkim@yna.co.kr

Source: Yonhap News

http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20070528/...28093253E0.html

[rubie]

Monday, 28 May 2007

Jeon Do-yeon wins Best Actress at Cannes

Written by Todd McCarthy

CANNES -- "4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days," Cristian Mungiu's stark, trenchant drama about a woman's experiences getting an abortion in the waning days of Romania's communist era, won the Palme d'Or at the 60th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.

Screened on the festival's first full day, "4 Months" is one of the few Cannes films in memory to have led wire-to-wire in critics' polls and come out on top on awards night. IFC bought the picture during the fest for U.S. release.

Asian films are big winners on the Riviera, considering two of the four Asian films in the 22-film competition managed to walk away with major awards.

Jeon Do-yeon, one of South Korea's best-regarded younger actresses, copped the best actress prize for her performance as a mother whose young son is kidnapped and murdered in Lee Chang-dong's "Secret Sunshine," the one award other than the Palme d'Or widely reckoned to be right on the money.

The Grand Prix, the prestigious runner-up award, was given to Naomi Kawase's "The Mourning Forest." An ultra-arty, arid and slow French-Japanese co-production that had viewers and critics streaming for the exits early and was supported only by die-hard partisans on the fest circuit is a surprise winner, and like many other awards, bore all the earmarks of compromise-necessitated give-and-take on a jury at odds with itself.

Bigger Asian names in the competition, such as Wong Kar Wai's "My Blueberry Nights," which opened this year's fest, and Kim Ki-Duk's "Breath," were left empty-handed.

Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung was amongst the competition jury led by British director Stephen Frears, who slithered through questions about internal jury dissension via puckish humor.

Chinese director Jia Zhangke headed the jury for short films, which singled out Elisa Miller's "Watching It Rain" from Mexico for the Palme d'Or and gave special mentions to Mark Albiston's "Run" from New Zealand and Anthony Chen's "Grandma" from Singapore.

Jia, also prexy for Cinefoundation Jury, handed first prize to Argentine Gonzalo Tobal's "Now Everybody Seems to be Happy." Second prize went to China's "Way Out," directed by Chen Tao and third prize is shared between Korean Hong Sung-hoon's "A Reunion" and Pavle Vuckovic's "Minus."

WINNERS OF THE 60th CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION JURY

Palme d’Or: "4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days," Cristian Mungiu, (Romania)

Grand Prix : "The Mourning Forest," Naomi Kawase, (France-Japan)

60th Anniversary Prize : Gus Van Sant ("Paranoid Park," France-U.S.)

Screenplay: Fatih Akin ("The Edge of Heaven," Germany-Turkey)

Director: Julian Schnabel ("The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," France)

Actor: Konstantin Lavronenko ("The Banishment," Russia)

Actress: Jeon Do-yeon ("Secret Sunshine," South Korea)

Jury Prize (shared) "Persepolis" (Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud, France-U.S.) "Silent Light" (Carlos Reygadas, Mexico-France-Netherlands)

SHORT FILM JURY

Palme d’Or: "Watching It Rain" (Elisa Miller, Mexico)

Special Mentions: "Run" (Mark Albiston, New Zealand) "Grandma" (Anthony Chen, Singapore)

UN CERTAIN REGARD JURY

Grand Prix : "California Dreamin’ (Endless) (Cristian Nemescu, Romania)

Special Jury Prize: "Actresses" (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, France)

Coup de Coeur Award: "The Band’s Visit" (Eran Kolirin, Israel-U.S.-France)

CAMERA D’OR JURY

Camera d’Or: "Jellyfish" (Etgar Keret, Shira Geffen, Israel-France)

Special Mention: "Control" (Anton Corbijn, U.K.-Australia-Japan)

CINEFONDATION JURY

First Prize: "Now Everybody Seems to be Happy" (Gonzalo Tobal, Argentina)

Second Prize: "Way Out" (Chen Tao, China)

Third Prize: (shared) "A Reunion" (Hong Sung-hoon, South Korea) "Minus" (Pavle Vuckovic, Serbia)

CRITICS’ WEEK JURIES

Grand Prix: "XXY" (Lucia Puenzo, Argentina-Spain-France)

SACD Prize: "Jellyfish."

ACID/CCAS Support Award: "XXY."

OFAJ/TV5Monde (Very)Young Critic Award: "Jellyfish."

Canal Plus Award for Best Short Film: "Madame Tutli-Putli" (Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski, Canada)

Kodak Discovery Award for Best Short Film: "Um ramo" (Juliana Rojas, Marco Dutra, Brazil)

OTHER JURIES

Ecumenical Award: "The Edge of Heaven."

Fipresci Awards (intl. critics’ assn.) "4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days" (Competition) "The Band’s Visit" (Un Certain Regard) "Her Name Is Sabine" (Directors’ Fortnight)

Source: Variety Asia Online

http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/content/view/1448/53/

[rubie]

May 28, 2007

Jeon Do-yeon Wins Best Actress at Cannes

Actress Jeon Do-yeon won the best actress award at the 60th Cannes Film Festival on May 27 for her role in "Secret Sunshine."

Jeon became the first South Korean actress to win a top international film award since Kang Soo-yeon won best actress at the Venice Film Festival 20 years ago.

The feat has made Jeon one of the world's top actresses from South Korea.

Wearing a gold dress, Jeon said in her acceptance speech that she couldn't believe she had won such a prestigious award and that she didn't know if she was qualified to represent all hardworking and talented actresses.

Jeon attributed her award to the movie's director, Lee Chang-dong, and her co-star, Song Kang-ho, as well as her character in the movie.

In conclusion, Jeon said she will never forget the festival for welcoming "Secret Sunshine" and thanked the audience.

Source: KBS Global

http://english.kbs.co.kr/mcontents/enterta...8262_11692.html

Korean wins best actress award at Cannes Film Festival

Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon won the best actress award at the Cannes film festival Sunday (May 27) for her role in "Secret Sunshine" depicting a woman struggling to rearrange her life after the tragic deaths of her husband and only son.

Jeon is the second actress from Korea to win an award at a major international film competition. Kang Soo-yeon won the best actress award at the 1987 Venice Film Festival for her role in "Surrogate Mother."

The 34-year-old actress was considered a favorite from early on, gaining acclaim for her powerful performance as a young mother whose life is suddenly torn apart. It was directed by Lee Chang-dong, a former Korean culture minister who previously was the director of award-winning local films like "Peppermint Candy" and "Oasis."

"I cannot believe it," Jeon said as she received the award.

"I heard there were many fascinating actresses who performed wonderfully, and I'm not sure if I'm entitled to stand here on behalf of them. I thank the Cannes and the judges who gave me this honor."

"Secret Sunshine" tells the story of Shin-ae, played by Jeon, who leaves Seoul for a remote town to rearrange her life after her unfaithful husband is killed in a car accident. Shin-ae tries her hardest to adjust to the provincial community and not to be looked down upon as a single mother, sometimes by ostentatiously pretending to be rich. Her behavior eventually causes her tragic fall when a neighbor abducts her only son and kills him after she fails to provide a huge ransom.

The movie revolves around Shin-ae's misery and the unrequited love from a nonchalant, easygoing car repair shop owner, played by Song Kang-ho. Throughout the story, the issue of religious salvation prevails as Shin-ae tries to find solace in Christianity and then bitterly turns away from it after finding her own falsity.

Jeon is one of the most versatile and well-known actresses in the Korean movie industry, having performed a wide range of roles from that of an unfaithful urban wife (Happy End) and a countryside tomboy (My Mother, the Mermaid) to a reticent, tradition-ridden widow (Untold Scandal). She rose to stardom with the 1997 box-office hit, "The Contact."

Source: KOREA.net

http://www.korea.net/news/news/newsView.as...Day=&page=1

[Guest evelyn168]

Congrats to JDY... I hope that this movie will be a hit in all Asian cities...

[Guest heartshapelove]

Thanks for the updates!

Congrats Jeon Do Yeon! You deserve it =D!

[rubie]

Monday, May 28, 2007

Jeon Do-yeon shows off talent at Cannes

It is no secret that Jeon Do-yeon is a leading Korean actress with great potential. Unfortunately, she has not had a chance to show off her talent on the international stage -- at least until May this year. When she was finally invited to the Cannes Film Festival for her role in "Secret Sunshine," she said she was quite excited about meeting numerous "world stars."

It turns out that the 60th Cannes filmfest has given a much-awaited opportunity for Jeon to shine as a new emerging star, beating other world-renowned actresses to grab the prestigious best actress award.

"In Korea, they have recognized me as an actress and given me many awards, but to receive the award in Cannes will be an important part of my acting life," she told reporters.

The 34-year-old actress garnered great acclaim for her brave and inspiring depiction of a grieving Korean woman struggling to rebuild her life in a new city in "Secret Sunshine," the first picture in four years by Lee Chang-dong, a former Korean culture minister.

Thanks to her emotionally powerful acting in the challenging role, there has been speculation that she had a good chance of receiving an award at Cannes, but she said after the award ceremony that such high expectations -- mostly from the Korean press, fans and filmmakers - made her feel "enormous pressure."

The best actress award at Cannes not only provides international recognition for her 10-year-long efforts as an actress, but also endorses the potential of the Korean cinema, dispelling growing concerns over its declining competitive edge, to some degree.

Jeon debuted as a model for a cosmetics commercial in 1990, which featured her trademark innocent, toothy smile. Her fame increased through roles in various domestic television dramas such as "The Sunny Side of the Young" and "Our Heaven."

Jeon's silver-screen debut was in "The Contact," a landmark 1997 film credited for generating momentum for the Korean film industry, which later blossomed as the Korean Wave swept the entire Asian region. In the melodrama by Jang Yun-hyeon, Jeon plays a Seoulite who communicates her affection through online chatting, a la "You've Got Mail," laying the foundation for her film career.

In ten films in the past decade, Jeon, often called the "chameleon actress," has proven her versatility. Jeon was a schoolgirl in "Harmonium in My Memory" (1998); an unfaithful wife in "Happy End" (1999); a faithful widow who tries everything she can to protect her chastity during the Joseon period in "Untold Scandal" (2003); a teenage daughter, as well as the daughter's mother, in "My Mother, the Mermaid" (2004); and an AIDS patient on the verge of destruction in "You're My Sunshine" (2005).

"Secret Sunshine," meanwhile, pushed Jeon to test her own limit in terms of versatility. She married a businessman in March, and she said that portraying a woman who falls into extreme misery and despair was "very difficult."

In the film, whose Korean title is "Milyang," Jeon plays Shin-ae, a piano teacher trying to stand on her own feet after the death of her husband. To escape from the predicament, she moves to Milyang, the hometown of her late husband, in North Gyeongsang Province.

In the city, whose Chinese characters mean 'secret sunshine,' she confronts a harrowing moment when her son gets kidnapped and she has to deal with the kidnapper by herself. She tries everything she can do to get her son back, but life turns out to be indifferent to her wishes. The kidnapper murders his victim. But this is not the end of her suffering.

Utterly depressed, she searches for a glimmer of hope at a local church. She finds her troubled soul beginning to heal when she devotes herself to Christianity. Filled with religious fervor, she decides to visit her son's murderer in prison to tell him she has forgiven him. But she is horrified when the killer tells her that he is now perfectly at peace because he has already been forgiven by God. Shin-ae is now left with only a sense of betrayal and hopelessness, a key theme that director Lee amplifies throughout the film.

By Yang Sung-jin

(insight@heraldm.com)

Source: The Korea Herald

https://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/htm...00705290015.asp

Korean actresses cleaning up at filmfests

However, she was not alone in making the foundation on which the Korean film industry stands at the moment.

Since Kang Soo-yeon became the first Korean actress to win a major international award in 1987 with "The Surrogate Mother," the local movie industry has gone through dramatic improvement over the past 20 years.

Kang, then 21, was chosen best actress at the Venice Film Festival for her role as "Sibaji," a Korean word for surrogate mother, in the movie produced by Korea's master film director Im Kwon-Taek.

In 1989, Kang reaffirmed her global fame as she won best actress at the Moscow Film Festival for her role in Im's Buddhist movie, "Aje Aje Bara Aje," which translates into "Come, come, come upward."

At the heart of the global acclaim poured on Korean movies for the past two decades were a dozen of other actresses, armed with passion for acting and superb performance.

Im's another movie, "Sopyonje," garnered much international acclaim in 1993, giving the best actress trophy to leading actress Oh Jung-hae at the Shanghai International Film Festival.

More recently, Moon So-ri picked up the Best Actress Award from the Stockholm International Film Festival for her role in "A Good Lawyer's Wife" in 2003. For "Oasis," she won the Marcello Mastroianni Award as best newcomer at the 2002 Venice Film Festival.

Other major film awards have also recognized Korean actresses. The Montreal World Film Festival selected Shin Hye-soo as actress of the year for her work in "Adada" in 1988 and Lee Hye-suk for "Silver Stallion" in 1991.

The Three Continents Festival in Nantes awarded Shim Hye-jin for her outstanding performance in "The Black Republic" in 1990 and Choi Myung-gil for "La Vie en Rose" in 1994.

Actress Kim Ho-jung won the Best Actress Award at the 2001 Locarno International Film Festival with the low-budget sci-fi movie, "Nabi," or "The Butterfly."

The award rally continued as Korean actresses swept the Oporto International Film Festival, also known as Fantasporto, in the following years. In 2001, Suh Jung was chosen the best actress for her role in "Isle" and in 2002 Jang Jin-young took the baton with a horror film, "Sorum." In 2004, Lim Su-jeong followed their suit with "A Tale of Two Sisters."

Most recently, Lee Young-ae's stunning performance in Park Chan-wook's movie, "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance," got her the Best Actress Award at the 2005 Sitges International Film Festival in Catalonia, Spain.

In the meantime, Korean actors were, for the most part, outperformed by their female counterparts, with a relatively few awards from global film festivals.

Lee Deok-hwa became the first Korean actor to receive an award at an international film festival in 1993 when he got the Best Actor Award at the Moscow filmfest for his role in "Saleolilatda," which means "I will survive."

Lee was followed by Park Joong-hoon who received an award at the 2000 Deauville Asian Film Festival.

Lately, the New Montreal Filmfest awarded Silver Iris for Best Actor to child actor Park Ji-bin for his role in "Little Brother," and Fantasporto recognized the performance of Ha Jung-woo in the movie, "Time," in 2007.

By Ahn Hyo-lim

(iamhyol@heraldm.com)

By winning the best actress award at the 60th Cannes film festival for her role in "Secret Sunshine," Korean Jeon Do-yeon highlights the reputation of Korea's actresses in the global market.

Source: https://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/htm...00705290016.asp

[Guest valenti]

Congratulations Jeon Do Yeon for winning the best actress award in Cannes Festival

we knew that you have a big chance of bringing home the award because we knew that you're a very good & versatile actress.

[Guest ellabel]

I've always admired JDY's versatility as an actress.

I think she's radiantly beautiful during the Awards nite.

So happy for her win.

Congratulations, Jeon Do yeon.

You truly deserve the Best Actress award in Cannes Film Festival.

[rubie]

05-28-2007 17:39

Jeon Shines on Nation With Cannes Award

By Seo Dong-shin

Staff Reporter

Jeon Do-youn smiles for the camera

in this recent file photo. / Korea Times

On Sunday, Jeon Do-youn became the first South Korean actress to garner the Best Actress Award at the 60th Cannes International Film Festival for her role in the Korean film "Secret Sunshine," directed by Lee Chang-dong.

It was the second time for an Asian actress to win the award at the Festival. Chinese actress Maggie Cheung received the award in 2004 with "Clean," French director Olivier Assayas' film about a woman rebuilding her life. Cheung served on this year's jury.

The prize also became another welcome recognition given to a Korean actress on the international level, 20 years after Kang Soo-yeon won the best actress award for her role in "Sibaji," or "The Surrogate Woman," at the Venice International Film Festival in 1987. Actress Moon So-ri won the Marcello Mastroianni Award as best newcomer in 2002 at Venice with her role in "Oasis," another film directed by Lee.

Jeon was predicted to be a strong candidate since "Secret Sunshine" screened at the Riviera festival in France last week. The New York Times called her portrayal of the character Shin-ae a "tour de force," while Variety.com praised her "finely detailed performance."

At home, Jeon has been continuously heaped with critics' praises as well as long-standing popularity. The 34-year-old looms large in the Korean cinema, known for her devotion to her character in each film.

Having started out as a model in a cosmetics commercial in 1990, Jeon starred in several popular TV drama series during the early 1990s, including "General Hospital." It was the role of the heroine in the 1997 movie "The Contact" that shot her to silver screen stardom.

After reaping newcomer awards with the film, she set out to explore diverse genres of films, ranging from the melodrama film "A Promise" in 1998, action drama "No Blood No Tears" in 2002 to historical drama "The Scandal" in 2003 and another melodrama "You Are My Sunshine" in 2005.

By the late 1990s, she was virtually dividing the local film industry and fan base into two with Shim Eun-ha, who was also a prominent actress at that time with films like "Christmas in August" and "Art Museum by the Zoo." Shim retired after her marriage in October 2005. But Jeon continued to pursue her career, marrying a businessman in March this year.

The news of Jeon's win at Cannes put the entire nation as well as industry people into a celebratory mood.

President Roh Moo Hyun on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Jeon and the entire staff of "Secret Sunshine" for "showing once again the Korean movie's strength and potential." Roh also praised Jeon's passion and hard work resulting in the outstanding performance.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Kim Jong-min also called the staff in Cannes to deliver his congratulations. Recalling watching the "The Contact" premier at the ministry 10 years ago, Kim said he knew Jeon would achieve a feat some day for her outstanding performance. The minister also thanked director Lee for "doing great work at a difficult time for Korean cinema."

The celebratory mood also caught on with people in the city of Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, where some 90 percent of "Secret Sunshine" was filmed. "Miryang" literally means "Secret Sunshine."

"It's a great pleasure and honor for our city," Um Yong-su, mayor of the city, was quoted as saying by Yonhap News. "I'm grateful for the production staff for letting the name of our small city become known across the world."

The city plans to preserve the film location spots and use them to boost tourism, he said.

"Residents all welcome the news and are delighted," Lee Bong-dae, village headman of Gagok-dong, the primary backdrop for the movie, was also quoted as saying. "We hope foreigners as well as people from other regions will feel curious about this place and come visit."

Film industry also expressed hopes of a windfall.

According to Cinema Service, which released "Secret Sunshine" locally on May 23, about 400,000 have watched the film up until May 27.

"While it's not satisfactory, it has fared well against the craze involving the 'Pirates of the Caribbean 3,'" an official from the company said.

Lee, Jeon and actor Song Gang-ho, who also starred in the film, will hold a press conference on May 30 upon returning to Seoul. They will also embark on a nationwide promotion of the film.

The prospects look bright, considering the rate of online ticket reservations soared immediately after the news of Jeon's award spread. As of Monday morning, "Secret Sunshine" ranked on top of the list along with the "Pirates," taking 32.4 percent of the ticket reservation share.

Officials at CJ Entertainment, which is in charge of distributing the film overseas, also appeared upbeat. Negotiations are underway with companies in Japan, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Italy and Germany, according to the company.

saltwall@koreatimes.co.kr

Source: The Korea Times

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2...5/135_3668.html

[Guest lovegoodfood]

Cant wait to watch this movie.......................

[rubie]

» Jeon Do-yeon with Song Kang-ho and Lee Chang-dong

After 10 years of local stardom, Jeon Do-yeon finally wins nod at Cannes

Unlike other actresses of her rank at home, Jeon Do-yeon has had no luck in spreading her name abroad.

Her local hits never went to major film festivals, while new faces like Im Soo-jeong or TV drama fixture Lee Young-ae have had the red carpet unrolled for them in Cannes and Venice.

The wheel of fortune has just been reversed for Jeon. She won the best actress award in the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday with her role in "Secret Sunshine" by Lee Chang-dong. In his congratulatory message to the actress, President Roh Moo-hyun sent a "big round of applause for your passion and efforts that delivered superb acting." In her 10-year screen career, Cannes was the first international fete that invited her.

"In Korea, they have recognized me as an actress and gave me many awards, but to receive the award in Cannes will be an important part of my acting life," she told reporters.

Since she debuted in a cosmetics commercial in 1990 that featured her spotless, toothy smile, Jeon has cruised mostly to perky, easygoing, amicable roles in TV dramas like "The Sunny Side of the Young" and "Our Heaven."

The serious side of her was brought out in her debut film "The Contact." The 1997 melodrama by Jang Yun-hyeon, loved by critics and audiences alike, started a fresh wave in Korean cinema with its depiction of young, urban dwellers seeking emotional connections in Internet chat rooms.

Her following films earned her title "chameleon actress."

Eyebrows were raised when she played sultry sex scenes such as an unfaithful urban wife in "Happy End" (1999). In "My Mother, the Mermaid" (2004) her dual role as the mother and the daughter contributed to the film's commercial success.

Her versatile screen qualities seemed to reach their zenith in "You Are My Sunshine" (2004), in which Jeon plays a seductive girl working at a coffee shop, who turns out HIV positive after marrying her true love, but she still had a way to change.

"I thought I'd pulled out everything Jeon Do-yeon has to give, but that was a misunderstanding," Park Jin-pyo, director of the box-office hit "You Are My Sunshine."

With over a dozen local cinema awards now under her belt, Jeon has discussed the difficulty she experienced playing Shin-ae, the main character in "Secret Sunshine." The extreme pain the young widow feels after her only son is kidnapped and killed was beyond understanding for the actress, who has no child yet. Jeon, 34, married in March.

"I felt pain in my heart," Jeon said after a preview in Seoul in early May. She said the hardest moment came when she had to pick up the phone when it was the kidnapper demanding a ransom, a critical moment in the story when her vivacity life suddenly turns into indefinite fear.

"Secret Sunshine" tells the story of Shin-ae, who leaves Seoul for a remote town to rearrange her life after her unfaithful husband is killed in a car accident. Shin-ae tries her hardest to adjust to the provincial community and not to be looked down on as a single mother, sometimes by ostentatiously pretending to be rich.

Her behavior eventually causes her tragic fall when a neighbor abducts her only son and kills him after she fails to provide a huge ransom.

The unrequited love for her from a snobbish, easygoing car repair shop owner, played by Song Kang-ho, adds comical touches to the gloomy story. It also deals with the issue of religious salvation as Shin-ae tries to find solace in Christianity and then bitterly turns away from it after discovering her own falseness.

Jeon is the second Asian to win the Cannes best actress award following Maggie Cheung credited with her role in "Clean" by French director Olivier Assayas. She was also the second Korean to win an award at a major international film competition. Kang Soo-yeon won the best actress award at the 1987 Venice Film Festival for her role in "Surrogate Mother."

SEOUL, May 28 (Yonhap News)

Copied from http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edi...ent/212241.html

[rubie]

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Jeon wins Cannes best actress prize

CANNES, France -- Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon, who stars in a tragic movie on death and faith, "Secret Sunshine," won the Cannes film fest's best actress award Sunday.

The 34-year-old actress was acclaimed for her brave performance as a grieving wife and mother in the Korean melodrama, the first picture in four years by Lee Chang-dong, a former Korean culture minister.

"I can't believe I'm here," said Jeon, wearing a silver evening gown.

"There are many fabulous actresses here at the festival, and I would like to represent them all here tonight. It is a great honor for me to have this prize."

She appears in nearly every scene of Lee's two-and-a-half-hour-long film, portraying Shin-ae, a piano teacher who moves with her son to the hometown of her late husband, whose death is still the source of nearly unbearable pain.

She dotes on her young son as a link to his father, and the two have a palpably close relationship.

When, in a cruel and unexpected twist in the story, the small boy is abducted and killed, Shin-ae turns to evangelical Christianity on the advice of her pharmacist, a devout believer, as a means of dealing with her grief. Filled with religious fervor, she decides to visit her son's murderer in prison to tell him she has forgiven him. But she is horrified when the killer tells her with a serene smile that he has repented and God has already offered him absolution.

"Who is God to forgive him before I have?" she asks her Christian friends in a rage.

Jeon is known in Korean cinema as a chameleon who fully inhabits her roles. She shot to stardom at home with her debut in the 1997 romance "The Contact."

The following year she starred as a schoolgirl in "Harmonium in My Memory" and picked up Korea's prestigious Blue Dragon and Grand Bell prizes for best actress.

Jeon scored a box office hit in 2003 with a remake of "Dangerous Liaisons" and won rave reviews in 2005 for her portrayal of a prostitute who contracts AIDS in "You're My Sunshine."

"Secret Sunshine" was one of two Korean movies competing for the Palme d'Or. Kim Ki-duk presented "Breath," starring Taiwanese actor Chang Chen as a man on death row who falls in love with a scorned wife.

The Cannes Film Festival's top prize went to a harrowing film about illegal abortion in Communist-era Romania, which beat 21 movies by well-known directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Ethan and Joel Coen, and Wong Kar-wai.

Romanian director Cristian Mungiu's low-budget film, "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days," depicts the horrors a student goes through to ensure her friend can have a secret abortion.

Mungiu, who was awarded the Palme d'Or by actress Jane Fonda, said he didn't even have enough money to shoot the film just six months ago. He hoped the win would inspire other "small filmmakers from small countries."

"You don't necessarily need a big budget and big stars to tell a story that everyone will listen to," said 39-year-old Mungiu, the first Romanian to win Cannes' top prize.

The films shown at Cannes' 60th anniversary edition ran the gamut of weighty subjects, from death and loss to abortion and aging. The winners of the awards, announced by jury president Stephen Frears (director of "The Queen"), reflected the darker themes. Japanese director Naomi Kawase's "Mogari No Mori" ("The Mourning Forest") took the festival's grand prize, the second-highest award, in a surprise. The film is about two people -- a retirement home resident and a caretaker at the center -- struggling to overcome the deaths of loved ones.

The prize for best director went to American Julian Schnabel for his French-language film "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," based on a memoir by a French magazine editor who became paralyzed after a stroke and learned to write again by painstakingly blinking his eyelid.

The movie is Schnabel's third, after "Basquiat" and "Before Night Falls."

The jury awarded a special prize to director Gus Van Sant for his impressionistic "Paranoid Park," which depicts a teenage skateboarder whose life is turned upside down when he accidentally kills a security guard. Van Sant, who won the festival's top prize in 2003 for "Elephant," recruited untrained actors on MySpace.com and shot the film in just a few weeks.

Two films shared the jury prize: "Persepolis," Marjane Satrapi's moving and humorous adaptation of her graphic novels about growing up during and after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, which she co-directed with Vincent Paronnaud; and "Stellet Licht" ("Silent Light"), Carlos Reygadas' tale of forbidden love set among Mennonite farmers of northern Mexico.

The prize for best actor went to Russia's Konstantin Lavronenko, who played a troubled husband in "The Banishment," a drama about a couple whose marriage disintegrates during a stay in the countryside.

German writer and director Fatih Akin's "The Edge of Heaven," a German-Turkish cross-cultural tale of loss, mourning and forgiveness, won the prize for best screenplay.

Several high-profile movies that screened at Cannes were not in the running for prizes, including Michael Moore's "Sicko," "Ocean's Thirteen" starring George Clooney and Matt Damon, and "A Mighty Heart," featuring Angelina Jolie as the widow of slain journalist Daniel Pearl.

The Coen brothers' "No Country for Old Men," a bloody, darkly funny tale about a ruthless killer in Texas, was hailed by critics but snubbed by the jury. Other films up for the top prize included Tarantino's "Death Proof," Wong's "My Blueberry Nights," and David Fincher's "Zodiac."

In a big weekend for Romania, another film from the country took honors in a secondary competition called "Un Certain Regard." Director Cristian Nemescu died in a car crash last year at age 27, leaving his "California Dreamin'" incomplete. Jurors had initially decided not to judge the film, about U.S. soldiers in a small Romanian village, but changed their minds when they saw it.

On Saturday night, festival organizers screened the late Henry Fonda's "Twelve Angry Men," then surprised his daughter, Jane Fonda, with a special lifetime achievement award at a gala dinner.

Festival president Gilles Jacob recounted Fonda's career highs and lows, including her controversial trip to North Vietnam in 1972, joking that he never thought the festival would honor someone who had been "spied on and hounded by the FBI."

The 69-year-old Fonda, visibly moved, put the focus back on her father, responding in excellent French, "For my father, his films were his way of representing justice, quality and democracy." She added her hope that one day, "the United States will again become the country that he stood for."

From news reports, The Korea Herald

https://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/htm...00705290021.asp

[Guest csnrain]

I'm hoping with all the hype that it does well in Korea...but I really wouldn't be surprised if it didn't...also, I find it odd that korean entertainment shows are advertising this as a melodrama or a love story and skirt around the grief and tragedy that befalls the main character...other film reviews barely mention the relationship between JDY and SKH.

Anyhow, from the reviews and the trailer it looks like an amazing movie but I've been disappointed by big movies in the past so, we'll see.

oh yeah, JDY looks beautiful in those pics =)

[rubie]

2007/05/28

Roh congratulates actress Jeon over Cannes award

SEOUL, May 28 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun Monday sent a congratulatory message to actress Jeon Do-yeon who won the Cannes film festival's best actress award for her performance in her latest movie "Secret Sunshine" the previous day, the presidential office said.

"South Korean film has once again received tremendous applause from the world. I want to pay Jeon Do-yeon compliments for her enthusiasm and efforts displayed in 'Secret Sunshine.' I also want to offer congratulations to the film's director, Lee Chang-dong, and other staff," said Roh in a message.

"Secret Sunshine has shown the potentials of South Korean films. The South Korean people, blessed with creative and artistic talents, will be able to achieve a lot more in the future if the entire nation works harder," the president said.

The 34-year-old Jeon was acclaimed for her brave performance as a grieving wife and mother in the South Korean melodrama, the first picture in four years by Lee, a former South Korean culture minister.

ycm@yna.co.kr

Source: Yonhap News, images from empas.com

http://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20070528/...28095746E2.html

[rubie]

May 29, 2007 10:01 KST

Milyang in Festive Mood After Cannes Win

"I feel great since the actress in 'Secret Sunshine' won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival," said Kang Myung-gon, a 40-year-old operator of a car repair shop in Milyang, where much of the movie was shot. "Milyang is in the world spotlight thanks to that movie," Kang said, beaming with pride.

As the news spread on Monday that Jeon Do-yeon won the Best Actress award at Cannes for her performance in "Secret Sunshine," which in Korean is simply "Milyang," the residents of this small inland city in South Gyeongsang province, population 120,000, were very excited.

In the movie, Jeon Do-yeon plays a widow who moves with her young son to Milyang, her husband's hometown. There her woes are multiplied when her son is abducted and found dead.

Jong-chan, played by Song Gang-ho, is a car repair shop owner who falls in love with her and helps her. Milyang, which is also the name of the local region, in Chinese characters means "secret sunshine."

As word got out, a large banner was hung on the front of the city hall. "Congratulations for Winning Best Actress in the Cannes Film Festival for 'Milyang'," it said. Several more banners were placed throughout the city in locations where the movie was shot, such as Milyang train station.

"Since the movie came out, a lot of tourists have asked me the location of the private piano school that Jeon Do-yeon's character runs," said Oh Hwa-ja, owner of a small store nearby the school. "It seems more visitors will come to Milyang thanks to the movie."

Before the news, Milyang citizens were concerned that the movie showed the city through a gloomy filter, but the atmosphere has changed with the award.

"I was actually concerned about the movie since it described an abduction in Milyang," said Kim Doo-young, a 51-year-old Milyang resident. "Now I'm relieved because more tourists are expected to visit Milyang thanks to Jeon winning the award at the film festival."

Ninety percent of the movie was shot in Milyang, from last September to February this year. The city lent its full support to the shoot, and now it seems that favor will be repaid.

Um Yong-su, mayor of Milyang, has ordered the formation of a taskforce to help develop the city. "There will be countless benefits from the movie 'Milyang'," Um said. "Milyang is now known to the world thanks to the movie. We are going to seize this opportunity to develop Milyang into a Mecca of the arts."

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/new...0705290019.html

[rubie]

Tuesday, 29 May 2007

Jeon Do-yeon turns "Secret Sunshine" into hot property

Written by Darcy Paquet

SEOUL –Cannes' presentation of its Best Actress award to Jeon Do-yeon for her role in "Secret Sunshine" has electrified South Korea, with immediate results expected at the box office.

News of the award has prompted a media blitz, with Jeon's acceptance speech headlining local news programs and president Roh Moo-myun sending a congratulatory message to the 34-year old actress.

The win ranks as only the second acting prize for a Korean thesp at a top-tier international festival since Kang Su-yeon won at Venice in 1987 for her performance in Im Kwon-taek's "Surrogate Mother".

Meanwhile, online reservation sites have reported a surge of interest in "Secret Sunshine" in the 24 hours since the award.

Released on May 23, "Sunshine" originally opened at #2 with a so-so $2.4 million in its first five days, compared to a $19.6 million for "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". However reservation site Maxmovie reported that on Monday, reservations jumped from 11.3% to 31.6% of overall sales.

Also, in a hastily-conducted online poll by Maxmovie, over 50% of respondants indicated that the Cannes win for Jeon's performance made them more interested in watching the film.

Although online reservations do not always accurately reflect overall box office performance, distributor Cinema Service will be anticipating a box office windfall in the coming week.

Meanwhile stock in Jeon's talent management company iHQ rose 8.89% on Monday to close at 5400 won per share.

Source: Variety Asia Online

http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/content/view/1454/53/