Movie directo Im Kwon-taek to win The Honorary Golden Bear in the 55th Berlin International Film Festival
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Korean movie director Im Kwon-taek has been selected as a prize winner of The Honorary Golden Bear in the 55th Berlin International Film Festival, which takes place on Feb. 10-20 in Berlin, Germany.
For an Asian, director Im wins this prize for the first time and since the Award was made at the start in late 1982, just a total of 18 people such as Sofia villani Scicolone had received this prize to date.
A person concerned of the Korean Film Council comments: "The Honorary Golden Bear is an Award to be given to a few who have contributed to the world movie history greatly", saying Asians who received such a great distinguished service award have been never still in Europe's major film festivals.
Born in Changsong, Cheollanam-do, 2 May 1936, director Im grew up in the southern city Kwangju, where he completed senior high school.
His family suffered considerable hardships and losses in the Korean War, so he had to move to Pusan in search of work: he was a labourer before trying to start a business recycling US Army boots into shoes.
He moved to Seoul in 1956, where a film director Chung Chang-hwa offered him work as a production assistant in exchange for room and board.
Five years later Chung recommended him as a director, and he completed his first feature in 1962. He was a prolific director of films in various popular genres until the late 1970s, but felt a deepening urge to make more serious films that first found in outlet in his 1978 film, Genealogy.
Since 1981's Mandala, he has been considered Korea's leading director. He and his films have won every possible prize in Korea's three annual film awards ceremonies, and a growing number of international festival prizes too.
His film Seopyeonje is the most honoured Korean film ever made, with (to date) 27 domestic and three international prizes; it was also an enormous success in the Korean market.
The Source : Choi Sung-ho
For an Asian, director Im wins this prize for the first time and since the Award was made at the start in late 1982, just a total of 18 people such as Sofia villani Scicolone had received this prize to date.
A person concerned of the Korean Film Council comments: "The Honorary Golden Bear is an Award to be given to a few who have contributed to the world movie history greatly", saying Asians who received such a great distinguished service award have been never still in Europe's major film festivals.
Born in Changsong, Cheollanam-do, 2 May 1936, director Im grew up in the southern city Kwangju, where he completed senior high school.
His family suffered considerable hardships and losses in the Korean War, so he had to move to Pusan in search of work: he was a labourer before trying to start a business recycling US Army boots into shoes.
He moved to Seoul in 1956, where a film director Chung Chang-hwa offered him work as a production assistant in exchange for room and board.
Five years later Chung recommended him as a director, and he completed his first feature in 1962. He was a prolific director of films in various popular genres until the late 1970s, but felt a deepening urge to make more serious films that first found in outlet in his 1978 film, Genealogy.
Since 1981's Mandala, he has been considered Korea's leading director. He and his films have won every possible prize in Korea's three annual film awards ceremonies, and a growing number of international festival prizes too.
His film Seopyeonje is the most honoured Korean film ever made, with (to date) 27 domestic and three international prizes; it was also an enormous success in the Korean market.
The Source : Choi Sung-ho
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