The Korean Association of Film Critics has just announced its picks of the year for their annual awards for excellence in film in South Korea. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk's historical drama starring Lee Byung-hun, The Fortress, has pipped other competitors to win in the Best Film category. The 37th edition of the ceremony to hand out the awards, also known as Critics Choice Awards, will be held on November 9 at the Seoul Press Center.
The Fortress, which has proven to be a critical and commercial success since its release in October, has also got nods for Hwang in the Best Director category, apart from winning for Best Cinematography and Music, and earning inclusion in the 10 Films Award category. Other notable inclusions in the 10 Films category are South Korea's Oscar entry A Taxi Driver, the WW II set The Battleship Island, and the action comedy Midnight Runners.
The top acting awards have been won by Sol Kyung-gu for the crime-action film The Merciless and veteran actress Na Moon-hee for the dramedy I Can Speak. Bong joon-ho's Okja, which has been widely acclaimed as the best Netflix original film to date, won the FIPRESCI Award, given by the Korean branch of the International Federation of Film Critics.
The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award has been bestowed upon cinematographer Jeon Jo-myung, who was active for almost 50 years and was known for his work with masters such as Kim Soo-young and Im Kwon-taek.
The complete list of awardees for the 37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards can be seen below:
Best Film – The Fortress
Best Director – Hwang Dong-hyuk (The Fortress)
Best Screenplay – Hwang Seong-goo (Anarchist from Colony)
Best Actress – Nah Moon-hee (I Can Speak)
Best Actor – Sol Kyung-gu (The Merciless)
Best Cinematography – Kim Jee-yong-I (The Fortress)
Best Music – Ryuichi Sakamoto (The Fortress)
Technical Award – Lee Hoo-kyoung (The Battleship Island)
Best New Director – Kang Yoon-sung (The Outlaws)
Best New Actress – Choi Hui-seo (Anarchist from Colony)
Best New Actor – Park Seo-joon (Midnight Runners)
FIPRESCI Award – Bong Joon-ho (Okja)
Lifetime Achievement Award – Jeon Jo-myung
Best New Critic – Choi Jae-hoon-I and Nam Yoo-rang
Best Independent Film – Lee Young (Troublers), Cho Hyun-hoon (Jane)
10 Films Award –
A Taxi Driver
The Fortress
Anarchist from Colony
I Can Speak
The Battleship Island
The Outlaws
On the Beach at Night Alone
The Merciless
Missing Woman
Midnight Runners
(Source: Hancinema, Soompi)
