Two Korean films invited to the Cannes Film Festival last May are opening one after another across France, gathering attention from many. The films are "Secret Sunshine", directed by Korea's one of the most representative directors Lee Chang-dong, and "Breath" by another famous director, Kim Ki-duk.
Ever since Jeon Do-yeon won the Best Actress Award at Cannes as the lead in Secret Sunshine, the film has been invited to many major film festivals around the world. In France, its theatrical run began on October 17, screening at 59 theaters across the country, including 11 in and around Paris. Distributed through local distributor Diaphana Films, it debuted the same week as Jackie Chan's Rush Hour 3. In its first week Secret Sunshine gathered 25 333 admissions, placing it 18th at the French box office, marking a good start. With an accumulated viewer count of 46 881, it is expected that the film will break the record set by director Lim Sang-soo's "The Old Garden", which attracted 56 064 viewers.
Reaction from the French press has been especially passionate towards "Secret Sunshine". POSITIF, a major film magazine showed much interest in the film, having Jeon Do-yeon on the cover of its October issue, which included a 7-page article introducing the film along with an interview with director Lee Chang-dong. Another major film magazine Le Cahiers du Cinéma also ran a 3-page article, praising both the quality of the film and actors' performances.
Another Cannes invitee, "Breath" by Kim Ki-duk is to be distributed nationally in France via ARP Selection on November 21, becoming the next successor in the wave of Korean films that have found a warm reception in the French nation.
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