Venice-bound black comedy to kick off Korea’s top film event on Sept. 17
Park Chan-wook’s latest film, “No Other Choice,” will open the 30th Busan International Film Festival on Sept. 17, festival organizers announced Monday.
The black comedy marks Park’s return to feature filmmaking three years after “Decision to Leave.” Based on Donald Westlake’s 1996 novel “The Ax,” the film follows a laid-off middle-aged man who begins eliminating rival job seekers in a desperate bid to secure employment and support his family.
Park reportedly spent 17 years developing the screenplay, which he described as a “long-awaited passion project” during an appearance at BIFF in 2019. The film wrapped production in January.
“No Other Choice” is set to make its world premiere later this month in Venice, where it will compete for the Golden Lion. It is the first Korean title to screen in the festival’s main competition since Kim Ki-duk’s “Pieta” took home the top prize in 2012.
Following its Korean premiere in Busan, the film is slated for domestic release via CJ ENM later in the same month.
Lead actor Lee Byung-hun will host the BIFF opening ceremony ? marking the first time for a male actor to do so solo. Lee has maintained a long-standing relationship with the festival, dating back to his first appearance in 2003.
BIFF director Jung Hanseok voiced high hopes for “No Other Choice” as the festival opener. “I sincerely hope the inclusion of Park’s new film will spark renewed global interest in Korean cinema,” he said in a statement.
This year’s festival marks a historic shift as BIFF launches its first official competition after decades as a noncompetitive event. Fourteen Asian titles will compete for five awards. Total programming expands to approximately 240 films, up from last year’s 224 entries, as organizers aim to restore the event’s prepandemic scale.
The 30th Busan International Film Festival runs Sept. 17–26 at venues throughout Busan, with the Busan Cinema Center serving as its main hub.
moonkihoon@heraldcorp.com
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