Directors Speak Out... "Creation Is Just Creation" and "We Feel Very Intimidated"

[Anchor]

At the Busan International Film Festival, which opened yesterday (October 7), questions were raised about the film "The Assassin(s)." How are domestic and international directors, who have long created films based on modern history or true events, viewing the recent controversy?

Reporter Lee Joo-hyoung has the story.

[Reporter]

At the press conference for the competition section jury of the Busan International Film Festival.

The jury members were asked about the boundary between historical truth and freedom of creation.

Chinese master director Zhang Yimou, who has won awards at all three major international film festivals, spoke up first, saying he had not seen the film yet but was aware of the controversy.

Stating that it is difficult to clearly explain the relationship between historical truth and creation in a single word, he remarked as follows.

[Zhang Yimou / Jury President, Busan International Film Festival Competition Section: As everyone knows, creation is just creation and may not be entirely based on truth.]

As a director who has made films set against the backdrop of modern Chinese history, such as "Red Sorghum" and "To Live," Zhang said the issue lies in how audiences perceive the fictionalized parts versus the historical truth.

[Zhang Yimou / Jury President, Busan International Film Festival Competition Section: (Therefore) it is very difficult to unify the perspectives of how people view things these days, especially the younger generation. Rather, I think this is the most attractive part of what draws audiences to movies.]

Director July Jung, the only South Korean director on the jury, also carefully opened up.

Director Jung's previous work, "Next Sohee," which was invited to Cannes, was also a film based on a true story.

[July Jung / Jury Member, Busan International Film Festival Competition Section: What I feel right now is that even though it is not my film, I feel so intimidated as a filmmaker.]

She also expressed the emotions she felt while watching the current situation unfold.

[July Jung / Jury Member, Busan International Film Festival Competition Section: There may be people who are hurt because of a film or because of this story. Naturally, that pain can also be expressed. While thinking about that, on the other hand, if expressing things through film brings these kinds of reactions, what should I do next?]

Director Jung concluded her remarks by expressing hope that she can continue making films while anticipating both empathy and criticism.

(Photo: Yonhap News) (Video by Lee Byung-joo | Video editing by Kim Jong-mi | Design by Kim Ye-ji)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.