Director Hong Sang-soo, who had entered the competition category at the Berlin International Film Festival, one of the world‘s top three film festivals, with his film ‘What Does Nature Say To You?’, failed to win an award. ‘Director Hong’s lover’ Kim Min-hee, who had garnered attention after announcing that she was pregnant and wondering whether she would attend with Director Hong while heavily pregnant, did not appear at the film festival.

At the closing ceremony and awards ceremony of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival held on the 23rd (Korean time), the Golden Bear, the top award, went to Norwegian director Dag Johan Haugarud‘s ‘Dreams’. The Jury Grand Prix and Jury Prize, which are equivalent to the Silver Bear, went to ‘The Blue Trail’ by Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro and ‘The Message’ by Venezuelan director Aban Fundo, respectively.

Director Hong’s 33rd feature film ‘What Is Nature Saying To You’, which was the only Korean film invited to the Berlin International Film Festival this year to advance to the competition section, unfortunately failed to win an award. Director Hong had previously received nine invitations to the Berlin International Film Festival and won the Silver Bear five times, but was aiming for a sixth win and the top award, the Golden Bear, with this film? The result was a ‘ultimate failure’.

Meanwhile, ‘What Does Nature Say To You’, which depicts what happens when a young woman takes her boyfriend to his family, also attracted public attention as the 16th collaboration between Director Hong and Kim Min-hee, who have been in an extramarital relationship since 2017 and admitted to it. Kim Min-hee participated in this film not as an actress but as ‘production director’.

In particular, after the news belatedly spread in January that Kim Min-hee was pregnant with Director Hong‘s child and was due to give birth this spring, attention was focused on whether Kim Min-hee, fully pregnant, would appear on the red carpet with Director Hong at this film festival. Kim Min-hee has accompanied Director Hong whenever she was invited to an overseas film festival for her collaboration with him.

However, Kim Min-hee was nowhere to be found at this film festival. Kim Min-hee was spotted at the airport leaving for Berlin with Director Hong, but she did not show up at the film festival. Director Hong attended the premiere and press conference with leading actors Ha Sung-gook, Jo Yoon-hee, and Kwon Hae-hyo.

Despite Kim Min-hee’s absence, Director Hong still showed his affection and trust in her. When asked about the film‘s production method at the press conference, Director Hong said, “There are four people involved: me, an assistant, a boom mic operator, and production manager Kim Min-hee.” He did not reveal the names of the other staff members, but he drew attention by specifically mentioning his lover Kim Min-hee’s name.


Reporter Seungmi Lee smlee@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.