Film "Duelist" to Be Screened in France, Japan

The film "Duelist" (2005) starring Gang Dong-won, Ha Ji-won and Ahn Sung-ki, directed by Lee Myung-se, and produced by Production M will be shown in France and Japan.

The film will be screened in Japan on Apr. 22. In May of last year when the film was still being shot, the movie was sold to Japan for 5 million dollars at the Film Market of the Cannes International Film Festival.

The film will be distributed by Comstock Ltd., a Japanese film import and distribution agency, with various kinds of promotional events still under preparation.

A French distribution agency, La Fabrique de Films, is preparing for a eventful release of "Duelist" for French fans at about 150 to 200 theaters. La Fabrique de Films was the first French agency that imported and distributed a Korean film entitled "Nowhere To Hide" (1999) also directed by Lee.

French fans especially are placing high expectations on "Duelist" because of the favorable acclaim it received at the Eighth Deauville Festival of Asian Films held in Deauville, France early this month.

"Duelist" portrays a story about the sudden circulation of counterfeit money during an unspecified period of the Joseon Dynasty, with the focus on detectives played by Ha and Ahn and an unidentified assassin played by Kang.

In September of last year, when it was released in the country, the movie drew wide attention from fans for its flamboyant and unique visual spectacles created by director Lee.