The new film 'What Does Nature Say to You' by director Hong Sang-soo, who is with his pregnant mistress, actress Kim Min-hee, failed to win at the Berlin Film Festival.
On the 22nd (local time), the winners of eight categories, including the highest award, the Golden Bear, were announced at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival awards ceremony held in Berlin, Germany. However, there was no award for director Hong Sang-soo, which the domestic film industry had anticipated.
First, the Golden Bear was awarded to 'Dreams' directed by Dag Johan Haugerud. The film depicts the story of 17-year-old Johannes whose diary, in which he fell in love with a female teacher, is revealed to his family. Director Haugerud expressed his emotions about winning the Golden Bear, saying, "It transcended my greatest dream."
Last year, the Jury Prize for the Silver Bear awarded to director Hong Sang-soo went to Gabriela Mascarello's 'Blue Trail', and the Silver Bear Jury Award was shared by Ivan Fund's 'The Message'.
Director Hong Sang-soo competed in the 'institutional sector' at the Berlin International Film Festival with his new film 'What Does Nature Say to You'. However, he did not receive an award. Given that Hong Sang-soo won the Jury Prize for the Silver Bear last year with 'The Traveler's Need', his failure to win this year left a greater sense of regret.
Director Hong Sang-soo has had a unique relationship with the Berlin International Film Festival over the years. In 2017, Kim Min-hee won the Silver Bear for Best Actress for her role in Hong Sang-soo's film 'On the Beach at Night Alone', and in 2020, Hong Sang-soo won the Silver Bear for Best Director for 'The Woman Who Ran' and the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay the following year for 'Introduction'.
Additionally, in 2022, he won the Jury Prize for the Silver Bear for 'The Novelist's Film', and in 2024, he also won the Jury Prize for the Silver Bear for 'The Traveler's Need'. Having received six awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, expectations for his win this year were particularly high, but the failure to win has attracted attention.
In particular, director Hong Sang-soo attended the Berlin International Film Festival with Kim Min-hee, who is in a romantic relationship with him. Furthermore, Kim Min-hee is currently pregnant with Hong Sang-soo's child, capturing great interest from the public as she appeared at the airport in her late pregnancy. Kim Min-hee was unable to conceal her "D-line" even while wearing a long coat at the airport.
However, a photo of director Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee together at the Berlin International Film Festival was not captured. Director Hong Sang-soo attended the film premiere and press conference without Kim Min-hee and referred to her as "my manager." It is known that Kim Min-hee participated as a production manager in 'What Does Nature Say to You'. In her place, director Hong Sang-soo was photographed with lead actors Ha Sung-kuk, Kwon Hae-hyo, Jo Yoon-hee, and Kang So-yi.
Director Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee have been in an affair since they formed a connection through the film 'Right Now, Wrong Then' in 2015, and Kim Min-hee is expected to give birth this spring, further drawing public attention.