THE MOONLIGHT OF SEOUL
Market Premiere Screening
May 19th 20:30 @ LERINS 2
Source : Finecut homepage
News
Canal+ : Focus_The Chaser
[ Video ] Photo Call
KB_ Yeonyega__: HJW & Kim YS Interview @ Cannes
Capture
May 21 2008, Indiewire
Wim Wenders and Ha Jung-woo at Korean Party
Photo and text by Brian Brooks
Korean actor Ha Jung-woo of Korean crime thriller “The Chaser,” directed by Hong Jin-na having a chit chat with director Wim Wenders hanging out at the KOFIC party Tuesday night on the beach. Wenders’ “The Palermo Shooting” is screening in competition at this year’s Festival de Cannes.
May 21 2008, SB_ News
May 21 2008, Joongang daily
. . . . . The Chasers has been capturing the spotlight at Cannes. When the film screened at the Lumiere Theater, the festival s main venue, last Saturday, all 3,000 seats were full, even though it was a midnight show.
May 20 2008, Starnews
At Cannes, I envy other actors or directors walk redcarpet with their families. I wish I would walk Cannes Red carpet again and at that time do with my family. If I have a girl friend, I’d like to come with her . . . . .
At the official screening day on 17th, there was a shower, and screening was delayed until 1:00 AM for delayed schedule of previously screened films. I was nervous because there were not many on the redcarpet. But, after screening, I was really moved by audiences’ big applause and cheers. They sighed and were thrilled at supermarket scene like Korean audiences and that excited me . . . . .
Every time I come international film festival, I get stressed. Because I find out where I am now. My goal is to be nominated for best actor in Academy someday as Watanebe Ken. I have to work harder.
Ha in interview at Cannes' cafe on 19th
IFC nabs rights to ‘The Chaser’
Film likely to be released at year’s end or early 2009
By PATRICK FRATER
May 18 2008, Indiewire
KOFICis Assured, Beaming WithTalent and Pride
Hot on the heels of last year’s success, “Secret Sunshine” (“Milyang”), the Korean Pavilion was buzzing with talk about Saturday’s screening of Na Hong-Jin’s “The Chaser”and their co-hosted reception with Pusan International Film Festival at the Atrium Beach on Monday evening. Although Sunday was a day soaked with sun, the sudden splatter of rain didn’t dampen chairperson Hyeon-seung Lee’s willingness to promote the proud history of the pavilion. “We’ve had a presence in Cannes for a very long time now. Since the early 1990s we’ve had a booth, and a pavilion from 2000,” Lee said as he was recovering from the previous evening’s “The Chaser” after party. . . . .
[Jenny Sung/indieWIRE]
May 17 2008, Cannes Daily
Out of Competition: “The Chaser” by Na Hong-Jin
Presented out of Competition, The Chaser is Korean director Na Hong-Jin’sfirst film, and is thus also eligible for the Caméra d’Or. The director provided these clues: “This is my tribute to the ‘film noir’ tradition, where an inversion of values has practically become a convention. However, the film is also a commentary on the degradation of contemporary society.”
Na Hong-Jin stages a ruthless manhunt in Seoul, opposing a former cop who has become a pimp and a Jack-the-Ripper-type serial killer who preys on prostitutes. “I feel that realism is the most effective way to share your vision of a story,”continued Na Hong-Jin. “To me, it seems to be the most intelligent approach.”
May 17 2008, Hollywoodreporter
Bullish Euros run the market
. . . . . Hot Asian titles at Cannes include “The Chaser,” which is being sold by Korea’s Finecut, CJ Entertainment’s “The Good, the Bad and the Weird” and John Woo’s “Red Cliff,” repped by Summit . . . . .
Harvey Weinstein
May 17 2008
John Woo
According to Korean news today, Ha will meet Harvey Weinstein on 20th. Harvey Weinston is a renowned Hollywood film producer ( Lord of Ring, Sin City, Chicago, Kill Bill ).
In the meantime, Ha is going to meet director Wim Wenders and John Woo(吳宇森) on 19th.
May 17 2008, Yes We Cannes!
The Chaser Na Hong Jin Interview
May 16 2008
Finecut Party For Leonera & The Chaser at the Plage Du Miramar
(Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
May 15 2008, KOFIC News
KOFIC to promote Korean films at Cannes
The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) will be engaged in diverse efforts to promote Korean cinema at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.
With five titles screening in various sections of the festival including KIM Jee-woon’s The Good, the Bad, the Weird (Official Selection, Out of Competition), NA Hong-jin’s The Chaser (Midnight Screenings),omnibus film Tokyo! (Un Certain Regard) which contains a contribution by BONG Joon-ho, PARK Jae-ok’s animated short STOP (Cinefondation), and KIM Ki-young’s 1960 masterpiece The Housemaid (Cannes Classics), KOFICwill be doing its best to provide advance publicity for the screenings. At the same time, it will exert efforts to support sales companies in the Cannes Market who are selling Korean films.
As usual, representatives will also operate the KOFIC Pavilion (Booth #122) in the International Village. . . . . . .
Finally, KOFIC will host a reception in partnership with the Pusan International Film Festival to further boost the prominence of Korean filmmakers in Cannes and provide an opportunity for networking. “KOFIC & PIFF Night” will be held from 22:00 – 24:30 on Monday, May 19 at the Atrium Beach (C-Beach). . . . .
Darcy Paquet (KOFIC)
Korean Film Observatory No.26
Special 1 : Korean Films at Cannes _ The Chaser in Midnight Screenings
May 15 2008, Koreaherald
Five Korean films join Cannes fest
The 61st Cannes Film Festival has kicked off with fanfare, spicing up the festive mood for moviegoers all around the world. The ebullient mood remains largely the same here in Korea, but one thing is palpably different: There’s no chance for a Korean movie or actor grabbing an award in the competition section this year.
Last year was special for the Korean film industry. Jeon Do-yeon won the prestigious best actress award for her impassioned role in the heart-wrenching flick “Secret Sunshine“. This year, however, such dramatic development is unlikely to occur because no Korean film has been invited to the competition section.
But it is too early to shift attention from Korean filmmakers toward Hollywood stars. After all, five Korean movies are to be screened in various sections at Cannes, and all of them have a potential to charm foreign filmmakers, critics and media in various ways.
At the forefront stands director Kim Ji-woon’s big-budget flick “The Good, the Bad, the Weird”, which is one of the official selections in the Out of Competition section. The movie, set in Manchuria in the 1930s, is one of the biggest Korean projects this year, with the star-studded cast drawing keen attention from local movie fans and critics. Song Kang-ho, Lee Byeong-Heon and Jeong Woo-seongplay rebellious characters in an exotic style.
In the Un Certain Regard section, director Bong Joon-ho’s “Tokyo!” — an omnibus film produced through a Korea-Japan-Francejoint venture project — has been invited, and what’s notable is the renowned Korean filmmaker’s efforts to expand his moviemakingcoverage. Bong recruited Japanese actors to portray a sense of isolation and the meaning of affection by focusing on the travails of a group of Japanese who are sidelined and shunned in society.
In the Midnight Screenings section, director Na Hong-jin’s “The Chaser” will be featured. The film, released in mid-February, emerged as Korea’s top film in the first half of this year thanks to its heart-pumping dramatization that outsmarted other competitors, including Hollywood blockbusters. The film’s success came as a surprise because its budget was smaller than other mainstream Korean films and main actors were relatively low-profile. Defying skepticism, however, the film drew enthusiastic response from Korean moviegoers largely due to its fast-paced storytelling and the actors’ dedicated performances. . . . .
Some of the Korean filmmakers and actors have already taken steps to join the festival. To promote “The Chaser”, director Na Hong-jin and main actors Kim Yoon-seok and Ha Jeong-woo have flown to Cannes. In particular, Ha will make it to Cannes for the third time after he had visited the festival for his roles for Yoon Jong-bin’s “The Unforgiven” (Un Certain Regard section in 2006) and Kim Ki-duk’s “Breath” (competition section in 2007).
Kim Ji-woon, Song Kang-ho, and Jeong Woo-seong are scheduled to leave for France next Thursday to promote “The Good, the Bad, the Weird”. Lee Byeong-Heon, who is working on his Hollywood debut film “G.I. Joe”, will also join the team to hold a press conference and red-carpet events . . . . .
By Yang Sung-jin
Review
May 26 2008, LeMonde
Le Festival s’encanaille aux séances de minuit
(translated by google)
May 23 2008, Liberation
Course. Film noir efficace du débutant coréen Na Hong-jin. (Film noir effective beginning Korean Na Hong-jin.)
BRUNO ICHER
(translated by google)
May 19 2008, IFC Indie Eye
Cannes 08 : The Chaser
By Alison Willmore
May 18 2008, Hollywoodreporter
Film Review: ‘The Chaser’
Bottom Line: A disturbing murder thriller with haunting mood play and high-strung tension.
May 18 2008, Technikart
La Corée fait son entrée en séance de minuit avec ce qu’ils savent faire de mieux : le polar tragi-comique (The Korea is entering a midnight meeting with what they can do better: the polar tragi-comic )
Julien Welter
May 18 2008, Screendaily
The Chaser (Chugyeogja)
Dan Fainaru in Cannes
Already a major hit in Korea and set for a remake with Warner Bros, this bloody, frenetic serial killer thriller should keep the midnight screening crowd happy, especially in Asia . Na Hong-jin’s promising but over-long debut is reminiscent of Bong Joon-ho’s highly-regarded Memories Of Murder and may possibly achieve similar returns. What it lacks in subtlety, it makes up for with plenty of action and wild chases which propel it towards a predictably gory climax . . . . . .
Kim Yoon-suk is suitably despondent as the crooked detective discovering that even he has something of a conscience while Ha Jung-woo, as the murderer, looks bemused by the acts he is perpetrating but determined to keep doing them for as long as the script allows.
May 17 2008, Variety
Cannes The Chaser Review
By JUSTIN CHANG
. . . . . One of the most impressive aspects of Kim’s commandingly energetic performanceis his ability to give Jung-ho a conscience without soft-pedaling the pimp’s rough-around-the-edges venality. As his nemesis, Ha (also excellent in Gina Kim’s very different “Never Forever”) is chillingly blank. . . . .
May 18 2008, evene
Review : The Chaser
(translated by google)
May 16 2008, lexpress
Chasse à l’homme made in Corée! ( Hunting man made in Korea! )
by Thomas Baurez ( Studio Magazine )
(translated by google)
Excerpt
3 comments
Comments feed for this article
May 17, 2008 at 11:44 am
JW La
rehana, I’d keep slide.com photos (on this post) in public for you to download files.
May 18, 2008 at 5:20 am
Rehana
thanks JW..i got his pics from Wire Image n Yahoo too! How did the review go?..Na Hong Jin looked good there, thanks for his interview article. So Ha is meeting Harvey Weinstein too..wow..
May 19, 2008 at 3:48 am
yun
wow~~!!
I feel glad when I watch his best smile ＾＾＊
JW! thank you ☆