"The Housemaid" to open in U.S. theaters

Korean film "The Housemaid" will be shown to U.S. audiences later this year, according to the film's distributor Sidus FNH on Tuesday.

Sidus FNH announced in a press release that production company Miro Vision, which handles overseas distribution for "Housemaid," has closed a U.S. distribution deal with IFC Films on July 16 (U.S. time).

"'The Housemaid' is one of the most entertaining and sexiest thrillers that I have seen in the past couple of years," IFC Entertainment president Jonathan Sehring was quoted as saying. "It is a movie which reconfirms that the world's best filmmaking is happening in Korea."

IFC also revealed plans to show the Jeon Do-youn starrer at major film festivals in North America, starting with the Toronto Film Festival which will be held in September. The film will be released in U.S. theaters sometime around the end of this year or early next year.

"Housemaid" will also be pushing for a possible Golden Globe or Academy Award nomination, IFC said.

IFC Films specializes in showing independent films to the public via Sundance Channel and Independent Film Channel as well as its online and offline distribution networks throughout the country.

It had previously distributed several Korean pics such as "Secret Sunshine", "The Chaser" and "The Good, The Bad, The Weird."

"Housemaid," a remake of a 1960s classic erotic thriller, premiered at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival in May, where it swept up six deals at the film market. The pic stars 2007 Cannes best actress award-winner Jeon Do-youn, Lee Jung-jae and veteran actress Yoon Yeo-jung.

The film, about a young maid who comes to work for a wealthy couple and starts having an affair with the husband, attracted over 2.3 million viewers in Korea during its local release earlier this year.

The pic is scheduled for release in major Asian cities including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore in early September, and will open at a hundred theaters in France on September 15.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@