The international film community is taking close notice of the historical distortion controversy surrounding the film "The Assassin(s)" and its ongoing political fallout.
Centered on the 1974 assassination of South Korea's First Lady, "The Assassin(s)" has been embroiled in fierce criticism and accusations of distorting history from opposition politicians and conservative civic groups since its premiere on September 23.
The pushback has escalated far beyond routine debates over cinematic merit. Lawmakers from the People Power Party have demanded that screenings be halted and the film's box office revenues retrieved. Members of conservative civic groups even rallied in front of lead actor Yoo Hai-jin's private residence, demanding an apology.
Amid the mounting backlash, People Power Party lawmaker Joo Jin-woo sent an official letter on October 2 under his personal name to the 37th Singapore International Film Festival, which selected "The Assassin(s)" as its opening film, demanding that the screening be scrapped. As more lawmakers joined in, the individual protest expanded into party-wide action. On October 6, the People Power Party sent a second letter signed by all 109 of its lawmakers, formally requesting the withdrawal of "The Assassin(s)" as the festival's opening film.
In Busan, where the Busan International Film Festival was underway on October 7, an executive director of an international film festival voiced strong concern: "I am well aware of the controversy surrounding 'The Assassin(s).' Filmmakers were discussing it at the reception following yesterday's opening ceremony. I heard that a political party sent a letter asking the Singapore festival to cancel the screening. It is unbelievable. Screening and programming decisions are the exclusive prerogative of film festivals. For politicians to exert this kind of pressure is an irrational overreach that infringes upon the independence and autonomy of a foreign film festival."
According to insiders, the Singapore International Film Festival is preparing an official response to the People Power Party's letter. Historically, international film festivals rarely rescind an invitation simply because of screening cancellation demands from a film's country of origin.
When Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi's film "It Was Just an Accident" was invited to compete at the Cannes Film Festival last year, the Iranian government pushed back aggressively, labeling it an illegal production filmed covertly without government approval. Iranian authorities particularly targeted the appearance of actresses who did not comply with mandatory hijab rules, as well as the film's focus on torture and judicial and political oppression inside Iran.
Despite the Iranian government's protests and the travel ban imposed on director Jafar Panahi, the Cannes Film Festival screened the film as scheduled and awarded it the prestigious Palme d'Or.
"The Assassin(s)" is slated to open the Singapore International Film Festival on October 21. Director Hur Jin-ho along with actors Shim Eun-kyung and Park Sung-hoon are scheduled to attend in person to greet local audiences.
Overseas media outlets, including the U.S. trade publication Variety and the U.K.'s Screen Daily, have also begun closely tracking the domestic controversy, political reactions, and the cinema industry's support for the movie.
In an October 4 report titled "Korean Directors Rally Behind 'The Assassin(s)' as Political Firestorm Turns on Its Makers," Variety Asian cinema reporter Naman Ramachandran noted: "The Directors Guild of Korea (DGK) has rallied behind the makers of 'The Assassin(s),' a political thriller by Hur Jin-ho about the 1974 assassination of First Lady Yuk Young-soo, as political backlash against the film has escalated into attacks on its cast and crew."
Highlighting the domestic solidarity among filmmakers, the report quoted a DGK statement: "While creators may face criticism for their work, that criticism must not escalate into destroying a creator's personal life and livelihood."
Variety also presented data demonstrating that the firestorm has done little to slow the film's box office momentum. Ramachandran reported: "'The Assassin(s)' surpassed 1 million admissions within just four days of release and topped the South Korean box office over the weekend of October 2 to 4. Over the weekend, the film drew 412,012 admissions across 1,129 screens, grossing 4.07 billion won (approx. $3 million). Its cumulative admissions reached 2.23 million, with a cumulative gross of 21.9 billion won (approx. $16.3 million)."
On October 6, Screen Daily reporter David Opie published an article titled "Korean film industry rallies around 'The Assassin(s)' team after historical inaccuracy claims," stating: "Lawmakers from South Korea's conservative opposition People Power Party have sharply criticized the film, with one lawmaker filing a complaint against the director, screenwriter, and production team for defamation."
The article also detailed official statements and positions released by the Korean Film Producers Association, the Directors Guild of Korea, and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choe Hwi-young.
Even amid the political crossfire, "The Assassin(s)" held strong atop the domestic box office on October 5, drawing 54,177 moviegoers nationwide.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)
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