Director Hong Sang-soo has once again failed to win at the Berlin International Film Festival. And by his side was not an actress, but only his 'manager' Kim Min-hee.
The Best Film Award (Golden Bear) at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival went to "Dreams" by Norwegian director Dag Johan Haugerud. Director Hong was invited to the competition section with his new film "What Does the Nature Say to You," but ultimately was not called.
6th Award Failure... The First Golden Bear for a Korean Director is Again Unachieved
This is Director Hong's 11th invitation to the competition section of the Berlin International Film Festival. Previously, he has won trophies at Berlin five times, including the Silver Bear Jury Prize (2023), Best Screenplay (2021), Best Director (2020), Jury Prize (2022), and Jury Prize (2022, second win).
However, despite being in the competition this year, he returned empty-handed.
The Jury Prize (Silver Bear) went to "The Blue Trail" by Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro, and the Jury Award (Silver Bear) went to "The Message" by Venezuelan director Ivan Fund.
In particular, "Dreams," which won the Golden Bear, is a film about the love of a 17-year-old girl, Johanne, and the impact of her writing on her family. Jury President Todd Haynes praised it, saying, "It explores the driving force of desire and its consequences, as well as the jealousy we feel towards those consumed by desire."
Kim Min-hee Was Absent, Only Manager Kim Min-hee Was Present
As Director Hong Sang-soo once again did not enjoy the joy of winning in Berlin, one interesting point caught attention.
That is the absence of Kim Min-hee.
Kim Min-hee, who has attended film festivals with Director Hong in the past, did not appear at this event. However, Director Hong still mentioned her, saying, "Me, my colleagues, and production manager Kim Min-hee."
While mentioning the production team, he notably did not omit Kim Min-hee's name and even introduced her as 'manager Kim Min-hee' rather than 'actress Kim Min-hee.'
Meanwhile, in January, rumors of Kim Min-hee's pregnancy surfaced, and it was reported that the couple is expecting a child this spring. This has led to speculation that Kim Min-hee, who is in her late pregnancy, did not attend this film festival.
Hong Sang-soo's 33rd Film and His Record in Berlin
Director Hong Sang-soo's new film "What Does the Nature Say to You" is his 33rd feature film.
Since his debut in 1996 with "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well," Director Hong has consistently created experimental independent films, building his own unique cinematic world while participating in the world's three major film festivals: Berlin, Cannes, and Venice.
In particular, his achievements in Berlin shine the brightest. However, this year he failed to add a 6th trophy in Berlin.
Korean Films Showcasing Their Presence in Berlin
This year, a total of 8 Korean films were invited to the Berlin International Film Festival. Bong Joon-ho's "Mickey 17" (Special Gala section), Min Kyu-dong's "The Breakup" (Special section), and Hong Sang-soo's "What Does the Nature Say to You" (Competition section).
Although Director Hong's failure is disappointing, Korean films still demonstrated a strong presence in Berlin.
'Is the Relationship with Kim Min-hee Still the Same?' Hong Sang-soo's Expression of Affection
Director Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee developed a romantic relationship through "Right Now, Wrong Then" in 2015 and officially acknowledged their relationship in 2017.
However, Director Hong has not yet gone through divorce proceedings with his legal wife.
Despite this, the two have continued their relationship by appearing together in public, and since 2022, Kim Min-hee has been assisting Director Hong as a 'production manager' rather than an 'actress.'
On this day, Director Hong's emphasis on mentioning only Kim Min-hee and highlighting her presence also caught attention.
Although Director Hong Sang-soo had to return empty-handed from the Berlin International Film Festival this year, he continues to maintain his style and consistently create films.
However, with the absence of Kim Min-hee and his failure to win overlapping, attention is drawn to how Director Hong's future activities will unfold.
◇ Below are the winners of the competition section.
▲ Golden Bear: Dag Johan Haugerud "Dreams" (Norway)
▲ Silver Bear Jury Prize: Gabriel Mascaro "The Blue Trail" (Brazil)
▲ Jury Award: Ivan Fund "The Message" (Argentina, Spain, Uruguay)
▲ Best Director: Huo Meng "Living the Land" (China)
▲ Best Actor: Rose Byrne "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" (Australia)
▲ Best Supporting Actor: Andrew Scott "Blue Moon" (Ireland)
▲ Best Screenplay: Radu Jude "Kontinental '25" (Romania)
▲ Artistic Contribution Award: Lucile Hadžihalilović "The Ice Tower" (France)
[Kim Seung-hye, MK Sports Reporter]
