"I made a living from films, but now I even think if I keep only making films I'll starve to death." The team of No Other Choice offered a heartfelt condemnation at the 30th Busan International Film Festival.
On the afternoon of the 17th at Busan Cinema Center, No Other Choice (director Park Chan-wook, distributor/provider CJ ENM, production Moho Film/CJ ENM Studios) was publicly screened in Korea for the first time as the opening film of the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). At the press screening that followed, director Park Chan-wook and the film's stars Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min and Yeom Hye-ran attended and discussed the film with BIFF senior programmer Park Ga-eon.
No Other Choice tells the story of Mansu (Lee Byung-hun), an office worker who felt his life was so fulfilled that he could say "I have it all," but who is suddenly laid off and prepares his own war for reemployment to protect his wife and two children and to keep the house he worked hard to buy. It is director Park Chan-wook's new film, following critically praised works such as Joint Security Area (JSA), Oldboy, Thirst, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave. Earlier, it received an official competition invitation at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, and it became the first winner of the newly established International Audience Award at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, which closed on the 14th. In addition, it was selected as South Korea's entry for the international feature film category at the Academy Awards, raising expectations.
The protagonist Mansu's status as an "unemployed person" is not very different from the reality of the Korean film industry, which is considered to be in a severe crisis. Park Chan-wook said, "Will audiences watch this film and think of the lives of people in the film industry? I think each person will first think of their own life, their own job," but added, "When I read the original novel, I easily empathized because in that story the paper-making job is so important, something ordinary people don't think is a big deal, yet the characters say it's their whole life. As a filmmaker, making films may not be a practical job that greatly helps life — it might be just a two-hour entertainment — but people pour everything they have into such work, stake their lives on it, so I could easily relate. Even though I know nothing about the paper industry, I felt like I understood this character."
Park Chan-wook also said, "It's true the film industry is struggling now and Korea seems to be lagging a bit compared with some other countries in the pandemic situation. When I meet people from other countries and ask around. But I don't think we'll stay in this state forever. I hope our film can play even a small role in helping to pull us out of this pit, this swamp."
Lee Byung-hun said, "After we traveled to Venice and Toronto for film festivals, we were asked that question a lot. In the film it's the paper industry, but people asked whether those in our industry don't feel a sense of crisis. The disappearing uses of paper mirror the difficulties of the paper industry and those of film, but I think the bigger struggle is for movie theaters. How theaters can overcome this difficulty and again become places loved by audiences is a concern for all film people," he added. He also said, "I don't feel it directly in my day-to-day life, but the film raises the issue of AI in the latter part, and AI could indeed be a significant threat to actors and directors. I felt that commonality."
Son Ye-jin, who said, "It's been seven years since my last film," said, "I'm anxious about how much longer and how often I'll be able to fill my future with films. The reality of film has gotten worse. So doing one after seven years had even more meaning. The future is more important, and in that sense I desperately feel directors like Park Chan-wook need to make many films. I want to do my best in my position so things can move in a slightly better direction," emphasizing that even a top star like Son Ye-jin faces a tough reality in getting her next film role.
Park Hee-soon candidly said, "I made a living from films to some extent, but now saying that if I only make films I'll starve to death feels like the reality." He added, "I love films, but the film industry has gotten so bad that insisting only on films would be difficult. If filmmakers including Park Chan-wook gather strength and make better films, I think audiences will come back and enjoy them again. In that sense, I earnestly hope many people will enjoy No Other Choice."
Lee Sung-min said, "While playing the role of Beom-mo I reflected on myself. If a remarkable technology arises that could one day replace actors like us, wouldn't we be replaced? Then we'd lose our jobs. I think many people here might feel the same. Perhaps that fear is the message we give. There's a fear that not only film but everyone might experience something like the unemployed characters in the movie," suggesting the possibility that actors could be replaced by AI.
Yeom Hye-ran said, "It's true the film industry is in crisis, but while working with director Park Chan-wook this time I felt the joy of film and its true taste might be something like this. I can only hope many people will come to see it, and I have to work with the belief that if we devote the care and time, people will recognize it," stressing sincere effort and dedication.
Park Chan-wook went on to say, "The original came out in the 1990s, and there's not much difference from now," emphasizing that the risk of job loss applies across fields in both past and present. He added, "Some material needs to be made when it first appears. But at least I thought the original novel Axe is a story that, even as time passes, can be accepted as one's own story or a neighbor's story."
No Other Choice opens on the 24th, and the 30th Busan International Film Festival is being held from today (the 17th) through the 26th around the Busan Cinema Center area.
[Photo] OSEN reporter Lee Seok-woo.
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