S. Korea's 'Thirst' receives juror's award in Cannes

SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korean director Park Chan-wook's film "Thirst (Bakjwi)" has won the juror's award at the Cannes film festival, the event's Web site said Monday, the first time for a South Korean film to receive such honors at the influential film fete.

Jurors with the Cannes International Film Fest praised the blood-soaked vampire
film as a "unique noir film."
Park won the festival's top Palme d'Or prize in 2004 with film "Oldboy."
"The joy of creating is my energy in making films. Filmmaking is a joy from the
beginning to the end," Park told the audience at the awards ceremony. "I'd like
to share this honor with actor Song Gang-ho, a great friend and colleague."
The award marks the eighth time that a local film has received one of the main
awards at the Cannes International Film Festival.
South Korean director Lim Known-taek received the director's award for "Stroke of
Fire" in 2002 and actress Jeon Do-yeon took the best actress prize in 2007 for
"Secret Sunshine."
"Thirst" competed for top honors at this year's Cannes with 19 other
world-renowned directors, including Quentin Tarantino, Pedro Almodovar, Xavier
Giannoli and Ang Lee.
Park, who had also won the Alfred Bauer Prize for his science fiction comedy "I'm
a Cyborg, But That's Ok" at the Berlin film festival, says it took a decade of
preparation to bring the vampire story, a genre rarely explored by South Korean
directors, to local screens.
Starring Song Gang-ho, the dark film features a Catholic priest who begins to
question moral and religious boundaries after experiencing an overwhelming desire
for blood and sex.
The film has been sold to more than 10 countries, including France, Greece and
Brazil, for screening worldwide later this year. "Thirst" has drawn nearly 2
million viewers at home.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)