Korean films "The Journals of Musan" and "Oki's Movie" win at Rotterdam film fest

Still cut from the film "The Journals of Musan (2010) [Courtesy of PIFF]

Korean films "The Journals of Musan" and “Oki's Movie" won honors at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) 2011 last week, according to the official website of IFFR on Tuesday.

"The Journals of Musan," helmed by director Park Jung-bum, won the Tiger Award -- a competitive category which screens directors' first or second-time feature films -- during the 40th International Film Festival Rotterdam held at the Oude Luxor Theater located in Rotterdam on February 4.

The drama, about a North Korean defector who tries to adapt to South Korea's capitalist society, also scored the FIRPRESCI Award for enterprising film making handed by the International Federation of Film Critics.

Another Korean film that won at the fest was "Oki's Movie" which took home the Return of the Tiger Award, making it the second Tiger Award for director Hong Sang-soo who previously won in 1997 for his movie "The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well."

Hong shared the prize for filmmakers who have taken the first step of their careers in the international market at the Rotterdam film fest with Dutch director David Verbeek for his film "Club Zeus."

Founded in 1972, Rotterdam is considered one of the biggest film festivals in Europe, alongside Cannes, Venice and Berlin, and is nicknamed the "Sundance of Europe." The event offers a wide selection of independent, innovative and experimental cinema, video and media art.

The 40th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam ran from January 26 till February 6 with hundreds of filmmakers and artists presenting their works to the audience.

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Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@