Lee Chang-dong on winning Silver Lion at Venice: 'Connecting with the audience is more important'
Director Lee Chang-dong shares his heartfelt reaction after winning the Silver Lion for 'Possible Love' at the Venice International Film Festival.
Upon winning the Silver Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, director Lee Chang-dong shared his sincere intentions for what he hopes to convey to audiences through his cinema.
According to a video released by Netflix Korea, Lee expressed his thoughts on receiving the Silver Lion for 'Possible Love' at the festival. Expressing great joy and gratitude, he stated that regardless of the specific award, this recognition serves as a profound source of strength and encouragement.
Connection with the audience more precious than the award
As much as the joy of winning, Lee placed significant weight on meeting the audiences who encountered the film for the first time. Having premiered 'Possible Love' at this Venice Film Festival, he revealed that the expressions, faces, and the emotions exchanged with the audience hold a more profound meaning for him. He added that his filmmaking philosophy is rooted in the hope that the film itself becomes meaningful to both himself and the viewers.
Gratitude toward the actors who could not be present
Lee also conveyed his feelings toward the actors who were unable to attend the ceremony. He mentioned feeling a sense of regret that the cast could not be present due to their scheduled commitments in Toronto. He shared that the actors watched the ceremony via video from Toronto, celebrating the win and exchanging text messages with him. Lee expressed how proud and grateful he is for the actors' performances, noting that viewers have already begun sending praise for their acting.
'It starts now': Anticipation for audience engagement
With this award as a turning point, Lee signaled the beginning of a new chapter of engagement with his audience. Expressing gratitude to Korean viewers who have followed the film's reception at Venice, he said he is excited to see how many more people he will meet to share and empathize with the film's story. Lee concluded by stating he eagerly awaits the moments of connection and empathy that come through his work.
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