Awards Galore for Korean Films at Sitges

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THE WAILING, TRAIN TO BUSAN and THE HANDMAIDEN Triumph in Catalonia

Always a fan of Korean cinema, the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia this year screened 14 films from the Far East Asian filmmaking powerhouse and come awards time, a trio of those managed to walk away with five awards between them. All three Korean prize winners debuted at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.

While the much-buzzed about Sundance indie Swiss Army Man picked up the festival’s top prize in the Official Fantàstic Selection, YEON Sang-ho’s TRAIN TO BUSAN drove off with the Best Director Award as well as the Award for Best Special Effects, which went to JUNG Hwang-su. Also in the main competition, NA Hong-jin’s THE WAILING picked up the Award for Best Cinematography for lenser HONG Kyeong-pyo and PARK Chan-wook’s The Handmaiden was given the Grand Audience Award.

In the Focus Àsia section, THE WAILING was also triumphant, making it the fifth Korean film to take the prize in just the last six years, following Veteran (2015), MAD SAD BAD (2014), New World (2013) and The Unjust (2010). NA previously won the same prize in 2008 for The Chaser.

Sitges welcomed several Korean guests this year, including Tunnel director KIM Seong-hun and star BAE Doo-na, as well as The Silenced (2015) director LEE Hae-young and Karaoke Crazies helmer KIM Sang-chan.

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