Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning” has been selected as South Korea’s contender in the foreign-language category of the Oscars. The film had its premiere in competition earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival.
At Cannes it won the FIPRESCI Prize awarded by film critics and also the Vulcain technical prize for its art direction.
The film is an adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s short story “Barn Burning,” that was originally published in The New Yorker. It charts the rage and impotence of young people in the modern world.
The film was released commercially in Korea in May and is set for release in the U.S. through WellGo USA in early November shortly after is appearance in the Toronto Film Festival, Vancouver, and New York festivals.
This is the third time that a film by Lee has been selected by Korea as its contender, following “Secret Sunshine” in 2007 and “Oasis” in 2002. Korea has proposed films for contention regularly since 2000. To date none has ever been shortlisted or nominated. International rights are handled by specialty sales agency Finecut.
A total of 10 films were considered by a committee formed by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), Other films shortlisted are known to have included “1987,” “The Spy Gone North,” and “The Fortress.”
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