After a 20-year wait, director Park Chan-wook and the actors of the film 'No Other Choice' shared their confidence and beliefs about the work during their visit to Venice, while foreign press attendees also praised it.
On the 29th (local time), the official press conference for the 82nd Venice Film Festival was held at the Palazzo del Casino on the island of Lido in Venice, Italy. Present at the event were director Park Chan-wook, competing in the institutional sector with the film 'No Other Choice', and the lead actors Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, and Yeom Hye-ran, who also participated in answering questions from the press and discussing the work.
'No Other Choice' is a film transformed into Park Chan-wook's own work, based on Donald E. Westlake's novel 'Ax'. In particular, director Park Chan-wook is known to have pondered for a long time to create 'No Other Choice'. When discussing the background of the lengthy preparation for the work, director Park Chan-wook said, "I can summarize the reason in one word: money."
He noted, "As is always the case with the fate of a film, it wasn't that there was no budget at all, but it took time to create the level of budget I needed. Just as I returned to the institutional sector after 20 years, my decision to make this film was also 20 years ago. It was after that time that I was able to complete such casting. Thanks to that, the investment was made. The level of budget I wanted was secured, and the film was made."
If director Park Chan-wook waited 20 years for the budget to make 'No Other Choice', the actors waited just as long for the director's call. In particular, Lee Byung-hun expressed his thoughts about finally showcasing a new work with director Park Chan-wook after 25 years since the film 'Joint Security Area (JSA)', which was released in 2000, saying, "The reason I worked with director Park is quite an obvious answer, but working with him is one of the biggest items on our country's actors' bucket list. Of course, anyone dreams of a collaboration with director Park, no matter the scene or story. I personally wanted to participate, regardless of what the story was. Moreover, I thought that this story would be so entertaining that it could be one of the most commercial films among the director's works, so I was very excited to participate."
Son Ye-jin also said, "I too thought about how and when the director would call, as all actors must have. Leaving everything aside, the story of the film is so intense yet funny, beautiful, and tragic, encapsulating everything. Once I finished the script, I thought it would become an incredible film. So I had a strong desire to participate in this film. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to work with the highly respected director Park Chan-wook and senior actor Lee Byung-hun, which was a great learning experience and made me extremely grateful and happy," she laughed.
Likewise, Park Hee-soon expressed, "I am also a huge fan of the director, so I was always wondering when he would call, and I thought, finally, this time. Thus, I told my manager to contact me quickly before I changed my mind, without even looking at the script. And the moment I saw the script, it was incredibly entertaining. Because it was a work highlighted by black comedy, I approached it as though I had returned to my original intentions. I looked forward to going to the set and it was a very happy moment," he joked.
Lee Sung-min cleverly responded to director Park Chan-wook's earlier comment that he had presented 'No Other Choice' after 20 years of thinking about its film adaptation by saying, "It's not because I appeared out of money," drawing laughter. He continued, "I decided before reading the script. I knew I had to be part of this film, regardless of what role it was. Working with the director is something all actors would consider an honor, and I think everyone would feel that way. I hope you will call me for your next project as well," he added, bringing even more laughter.
Additionally, Yeom Hye-ran remarked, "If the director had made this film 20 years ago, I wouldn't have been able to participate. In that regard, I feel fortunate," she said with a smile.
In the subsequent discussion with the foreign press, deep questions regarding the work and the film environment emerged. The recent strikes in Hollywood leave an impression that they are connected to the message of job instability in the film industry. In response, director Park Chan-wook shared, "Reading novels about people working in paper companies, I felt that the profession of film, or filmmaker, had commonalities with those in the paper company. No matter how others perceive it, whether they think it's a really precious profession or not, I believe the essence of their lives is similar. I also empathized with the stories of the laid-off workers because we also enter a potential unemployment state after completing a project. We have uncertainty about when we can produce the next work. In fact, I have experienced that period, so I could sympathize greatly."
He further stated, "Pitching the story to investors is similar to job seekers re-entering the workforce, and it's not just about filmmakers; many people in modern capitalist society have fears regarding job and employment instability. The reason I could not give up on this story for 20 years is that whenever I shared it, people from any era or country reacted positively by saying, 'This is a truly relatable story; it's timely.' So I was confident that it was a story that could eventually be created."
The crisis in the theatrical industry has become entrenched, leading to a crisis in film as well. Director Park Chan-wook also acknowledged, "The film industry can end at any time. Someday. The culture of watching films in theaters can be further reduced and shrink even if it doesn't end." However, he expressed confidence that "from an industrial perspective, art in film will not disappear or be diminished." He added, "If the era comes when I am no longer given the budget to create in my own way, fortunately, there is technological advancement. We can produce films with smartphones and editing has become very easy. I have already made a film with a smartphone, so I know how to do it," which garnered applause.
In Lee Sung-min's case, he reflected, "Watching films on various platforms, I felt anew why we should see films in theaters," noting, "A great story, beautiful visuals, and wonderful music—all can be enjoyed at once. That is the essence of film, and I realized anew why director Park Chan-wook receives such acclaim. I hope you will definitely watch it in theaters," he expressed with confidence.
Finally, director Park Chan-wook responded to the foreign press's praise for his unique elegant visuals by stating, "The visuals are elegant and beautiful, but I don't obsess over them. What I seek is the most accurate expression of this story and how to express the emotions of these characters most accurately. Two things are important: accuracy and thoroughness. If I strive to be thorough to be accurate, I believe that if that succeeds, it ultimately becomes beautiful and elegant. Even if it might be an incredibly ugly and disgusting subject matter, I want to say that, as I just mentioned, a beautiful image can ultimately be obtained."
'No Other Choice' tells the story of a company employee named Mansu (Lee Byung-hun), who felt that he had 'achieved it all' but is suddenly dismissed. To protect his wife and two children, he prepares for a personal war toward re-employment and to keep the home he has worked so hard to secure. It will be released on Sept. 24.
[Photo] source: YouTube, provided by CJ ENM.
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