Heading up international sales company M-Line Distribution as Managing Director, Michelle SON has in a few short years positioned the company to handle a bulk of deals including foreign remake deals for major local titles. She spoke with KoBiz over the phone about looking beyond feature filmsfor exciting audiovisual content and the importance of facilitating international co-productions...More

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

The upcoming film "Blue Swallow" seems to face strong criticism from moviegoers prior to its official release on Dec. 29.

The blockbuster film is a fictional treatment of the true story of Park Kyong-won, a female pilot of the 1920s, with the addition of fictional characters and narratives to tell the story of her career and love life.

But many argue that Park was pro-Japanese, participating in many propaganda activities during Japanese colonial rule and should be considered a traitor to the nation and its people. Some even suggest the movie should not be released.

In addition, it was belatedly discovered that Park was not the first female Korean pilot in Korean his...More

Korean director Lee Myeong-se's upcoming movie, the historical martial arts epic 'Duelist' is being planned to be introduced in the US. According to the promotion agency, the interview clip of the director and the video clip of 'Duelist' were sent out to PBS, the US national broadcaster on July 23.

The agency said, "The clip has been aired in 250 major cities of 160 countries as well as in the US, boasting excellence of Korean films. I was told that the U.S. press who have seen the video clip ...More

By Paolo Bertolin
Contributing Writer

CANNES, France - Registering a record presence of six full-length features invited to all official selections and one short competing in the Cinefondation, Korean cinema was set to fete another great year at the outset of the 58 th Cannes Film Festival.

However, the response from the juries, as well as from international critics, buyers and audiences proved not to match with the great expectations created by sheer numbers and the many renowned names involved.

Hong Sang-soo's " Tale of Cinema (Kukjangjon)", Korea's lone entry to the competition section of the event, failed to raise enthusiasm among international critics, and even his hardcore supporters, the French, did not stand up in his defense, as they did last year for " Woman Is the Future of Man ". The newspaper Lib eration went so far as to call the film " unworthy of the Korean filmmaker".

Regardless of the achievement of his latest work, Hong's sincere commitment to filmmaking was without question. "I am convinced that every man needs a passion", he said during the news conference. "To me cinema is a motor, but also an addiction. It helps me to live".

Earlier in the festival, which ended Saturday, ...More

Korean movie 'Duelist' starring Ha Ji-won and Kang Dong-won, was sold with minimum guarantee $5 million (approximately 5.1 billion won) to Japanese movie distribution firm Comstock Ltd.

Comstock Ltd. entered into relation with Korean movie by importing & distributing 'A tale of Two Sister' and is propelling movie 'Duelist's simultaneous release with Korea in Japan on the upcoming August.

Korea Pictures, the investment firm of movie 'More