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Secret Sunshine Korea’s Choice for the Oscar’s

A committee appointed by the Korean Film Council(KOFIC) has selected LEE Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine as its submission to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  It will be viewed for consideration in the foreign language film category at the 80^th Academy Awards, to be held February 24^th, 2008. 

The six-member committee selected LEE’s film over low-budget auteur KIM Ki-duk’s Breath and big-budget summer hit May 18 by director KIM Ji-hoon.  Secret Sunshine has already garnered a Cannes Best Actress award for lead JEON Do-yeon.  It has received high praises by critics both at home and abroad, and screens this month in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the Toronto International Film Festival.  

Director LEE’s fourth film and first in four years portrays a widow's harrowing journey to come to terms with herself after the loss of her son.  South Korea’s submission in the previous year was LEE Jun-ik’s Chosun-period hit King and the Clown.  No Korean film has yet been selected by the Academy for inclusion in the final five nominations.  The announcement of nominations for foreign language film will be made on January 22^nd.

Nigel D’Sa (KOFIC)