Im Kwon-taek (born May 2, 1936 in Jangseong) is one of Korea's most renowned film directors. In an active and prolific career, his films have won many domestic and inernational film festival awards as well as considerable box-office success.
Im's directorial premier was with the 1962 film, Farewell to the Duman River (Dumanganga jal itgeola). Before 1980 he was known primarily as a commercial filmmaker who could efficiently direct as many as eight genre pictures a year, helping to fulfill the quota for domestic pictures set by the government[1]. The turning point of his career came in 1981 with Mandala, a film about Buddhist monks in Korea. Since then, his films have been regarded as art-house cinema. He has continued to explore themes from Korea's past while also focusing on the Korean cultural identity in modern times.
Among Im's most notable recent films are Sopyonje (1993) and Chunhyang (2000), both of which concentrate on the traditional Korean musical art of pansori. The latter film was also based on a traditional Korean legend. Apart from being a critical success, Sopyonje was also a success at the box office, becoming the first domestic film to draw over a million viewers in Seoul alone. Chihwaseon (2002) was also a critical success.
Im Kwon-taek's status, brought on by the critical success of his films, overlapped with a period of the film movement called "New Korean Cinema" or "Korean New Wave". Along with other directors, such as Park Gwang-su and Jang Seon-u, Im is recognized as one of the originators of the movement, which heralded newfound critical acclaim and international recognition for Korean Cinema.
Im Kwon-taek was awarded an honorary Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival in 2005.
[edit] Awards
- Asia-Pacific Film Festival
- Special Jury Award Chunhyang (2000)
- Best Director and Best Film Sibaji (1987)
- Berlin International Film Festival
- Honorary Golden Berlin Bear (2005)
- Cannes Film Festival
- Best Director Chihwaseon (2002)
- Grand Bell Awards (Korea), Best Director
- Testimony (Jungon) (1974)
- Jokbo (Genealogy/Family Tree) (1979)
- Mandala (1981)
- Ticket (1986)
- Yeonsan ilgi (Diary of King Yonsan) (1988)
- Hankuk Play and Film Arts Awards (Korea), Best Director
- Wangshibri (A Byegone Romance) (1976)
- Nakdongkaneun heureuneunga (Commando on the Nakdong River) (1976)
- Angae maeul (Village in the Mist) (1983)
- Hawaii International Film Festival
- Best Feature Film Chunhyang (2000)
- Korean Film Critics Awards, Best Director
- Gilsoddeum (Gilsodom) (1986)
- Ticket (1986)
- Pusan International Film Festival
- Netpac Award Chunhyang (2000)
- San Francisco International Film Festival
- Akira Kurosawa Award (1998)
- Shanghai International Film Festival
- Golden Goblet - Best Director Seopyeonje (1993)
- Singapore International Film Festival
- 2001 Silver Screen Award - Best Asian Director Chunhyang (2000)
[edit] External links and references
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