Director Yeon Sang-ho of "Face" officially apologized to the actors, including Park Jeong-min who appeared without a guarantee.
On the afternoon of the 10th, a press screening for the film "Face" was held at Megabox COEX in Seoul. After being invited to the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, director Yeon Sang-ho and actors Park Jeong-min, Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Hyun-bin, Lim Sung-jae, and Han Ji-hyun held a press conference via live video from Canada.
"Face" tells the story of Im Dong-hwan (played by Park Jeong-min), the son of visually impaired seal engraver Im Young-gyu (played by Kwon Hae-hyo/Park Jeong-min), who is called a living miracle, as he uncovers the truth behind his mother's death after discovering her skeletal remains, which had been thought missing 40 years earlier. It has been officially invited to the "Special Presentations" section of the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, North America's largest film festival and one of the world's four major film festivals, drawing early attention. Director Yeon Sang-ho, receiving his third invitation after "The Fake" and "Hell," and the leading cast of "Face" — Park Jeong-min, Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Hyun-bin, Lim Sung-jae, and Han Ji-hyun — are expected to meet global audiences in Toronto, raising anticipation.
In particular, "Face" is a unique work made on an ultra-low budget in the 200 million won range, with about 20 staff—around one-third the size of a typical commercial film's crew—and a short shooting schedule of 13 sessions over three weeks.
Director Yeon Sang-ho said, "When I first thought about doing it on a low budget, I thought I'd do it with 100 million won, but I didn't know much about the world. At first I thought we'd have to film with a phone or just make it like that, but I was afraid it would turn out shabby. I thought, 'If it looks too shabby, my face won't hold up.' (laughs) But I think that thought was wrong. If you're afraid you'll lose face and can't do something, you become someone who only cares about face. I thought, 'Even if it's shabby, let's try it once.'"
He continued, "But from the first button, once actor Park Jeong-min was cast, I had already crossed an irreversible river. The staff who worked on previous films gathered. The budget had already risen well above the original, and I want to officially apologize to the actors here for that," expressing his sincerity to the actors.
The lead actors empathized with the film's sincerity and participated without a guarantee, and Park Jeong-min laughed, saying "I forgive you" at director Yeon Sang-ho's remarks.
Director Yeon Sang-ho confessed, "I was inspired by legendary Asian films, and those films are all low-budget. I felt there was a distinct energy those films gave. Could this be systematized? I wondered how to make it not just a one-time experiment but a system, and I realized you'd need about 2 billion won. (laughs) We need a structure that can produce 2 billion won, and I'm considering that. I'm deeply thinking that it would be good to systematize this type of work with standards different from those for making regular films."
Finally, director Yeon Sang-ho said, "I've never been this thirsty for box office success out of gratitude to the actors and staff. Actually, the budget is so small that the breakeven point is low, and so many people have helped us like this; I hope they reap a lot if it performs well. I really want it to succeed at the box office. I've never been this desperate. I don't want it to just end as 'it was a good thing'; it opens tomorrow, so I hope it does well," revealing his honest feelings. Park Jeong-min also added, "The director said he hopes it does well at the box office, and I feel the same. If the film does well, I will receive some (guarantee)."
Meanwhile, "Face" opens on the 11th.
[Photo] OSEN DB, Plus M Entertainment provided
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