Hyundai Motor said on the 1st that the independent feature film "Bedford Park" won one of the special jury awards, the "debut feature award," in the U.S. drama competition institutional sector at the 42nd Sundance Film Festival. Hyundai Motor participated in the film for the first time as an investor.
The Sundance Film Festival, founded in 1978, is the world's largest independent film festival held in North America. At this festival, the U.S. drama competition institutional sector is highly competitive. Stories by new creators are introduced first each year, making it a stage that leads the flow of American independent film.
Bedford Park is a film about healing wounds and restoring relationships. Actors Son Suk-ku and Choi Hee-seo appear. Set in New Jersey, the film begins when "Audrey (Choi Hee-seo)," who has felt the isolation of an immigrant family and has lived in conflict over her identity as an American, happens to meet former wrestling athlete "Eli (Son Suk-ku)" following her mother's car accident.
In particular, this is the first independent feature film in which Hyundai Motor participated as an investor. A Hyundai Motor official explained, "It is meaningful that it led to achievements on the international stage, and the brand's standing in the global content industry has also risen." In a short film released in 2024, "Night Fishing," Hyundai Motor participated as a sponsor. Night Fishing won the best editing award at the Fantasia International Film Festival and the Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for its original direction.
A Hyundai Motor official said, "We hope the message of healing and recovery delivered by the well-made independent film 'Bedford Park' resonates deeply with audiences."