Two Korean films have been added to the Discovery Section of the 31st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) running this September 7th to 16th. TIFF ranks alongside Cannes, Berlin and Venice as one of the world's top film events. Korea's extremely successful local hit King and the Clown and the critically successful hybrid family-drama Family Ties were added to the official selection and will both have their international premiers at TIFF.
The Discovery section is the only international competition section at the festival and hands out a US$10 000 Diesel Discovery Award to the best film among 13 features as selected by the festival press corps which consists of approximately 800 international media.
"Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family"), directed by KIM Tae-yong, is an ensemble film about unconventional relationships told in three unconnected tales. It stars MOON So-ri, KONG Hyo-jin, and BONG Tae-gyu among others. The King and the Clown, directed by LEE Joon-ik, is a Josun period-drama about two itinerant jesters who become court entertainers for a slightly-demented king. The King and the Clown was also invited to the Special Screenings section of the Tokyo International Film Festival, running October 21st 29th. The film grew into a colossal local hit when it was released in December of last year, attracting more than 12.3 million movie-goers to become the highest-grossing Korean film of all time, so far. For Grand Bell Award in Korea, It was nominated in a record 15 categories, and took home seven awards, including Best Director, Best Actor and Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Script.
Other films that were invited to this year's Toronto festival include director KIM Ki-duk's Time, showing in the Vision's section and BONG Joon-ho's record-breaking summer hit The Host, screening in the Midnight Madness section.
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