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KIM-GUN Triumphs at 7th Wildflower Film Awards
Awards Celebrating Indie Cinema Become First Major Film Event in Covid-19 Era
Documentary KIM-GUN (2018) won the Grand Prize at this year’s 7th Wildflower Film Awards, which took place in Central Seoul on May 22 while February was the most awarded film with a total of three prizes. A total of 15 awards were handed out during the event, which celebrates Korea’s vibrant low-budget film scene, and which was the first major film gathering to take place in the country since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Established in 2014 by noted film critic, professor and subtitle translator Darcy PAQUET, the Wildflower Film Awards have sought to shine a light on the country’s indie film input. 125 titles with budgets under KRW 1 billion (USD 807,000) that were released commercially between January 1, 2019 and January 31 of this year were considered.
From director KANG Sang-woo, KIM-GUN (2018) follows the search for a man in a controversial picture taken during the Gwangju Democratic Uprising in May, 1980. KANG recently earned the Best New Director prize from the 2019 edition of the Busan Film Critics Association Awards.
In the director categories, YI Ok-seop won Best Director in the narrative section for her debut film Maggie (2019), while KANGYU Ga-ram picked up Best Director - Documentaries for Itaewon (2019).
The main acting prizes were swept up by PARK Ji-hu, who took home Best Actress for KIM Bora’s sensation House of Hummingbird (2019), and UM Tae-goo, who earned Best Actor for My Punch-Drunk Boxer (2019). LEE Ju-won won the Best Supporting Actor or Actress award for February.
The Best Producer award went to PARK Du-hui for LIM Dae-hyung’s Moonlit Winter (2019), writer-director KIM Joong-hyeon won Best Screenplay for his debut February (2019) and KANG Kuk-hyun picked up Best Cinematography for House of Hummingbird (2019), his fourth prize for the film, following wins at the Tribeca Film Festival, among other events. JANG Young-gyu was the recipient of the Best Music award for My Punch-Drunk Boxer (2019).
Concerning tomorrow’s leading lights, CHO Min-jae scooped up Best New Director for Tiny Light and CHO Min-kyung was the winner of the Best New Actor or Actress award for February (2019).
The Dandelion Award for Notable Documentary was reserved for KIM So-young’s Goodbye My Love, North Korea (2019).
The National Arthouse Theater Association received the Award for Outstanding Contribution. Finally, the documentary My Name is KIM Bok-dong (2019) by SONG Won-geun received a special mention from the jury.
