Hong Sangsoo and Kim Minhee Win Three Awards at Locarno Film Festival

New Film "No Place to Look"
Sweeps Best Director, Best Actor, and Ecumenical Jury Prize

Director Hong Sangsoo's new film "No Place to Look" swept three awards at the Locarno Film Festival, clinching the Best Director, Best Actor, and the Ecumenical Jury Prize.

Director Hong Sangsoo and actress Kim Minhee of "Nowhere to Hide" attending the Locarno Film Festival / Film Production Company.

On August 15 (local time), the Locarno Film Festival awarded Director Hong the Best Director and the Ecumenical Jury Prize. The Best Actor award went jointly to actress Kim Minhee and Italian actress Monica Bellucci. The Ecumenical Jury Prize is an independent award presented to films that deeply embody spiritual messages such as life, dignity, peace, and human rights. It is judged separately by a jury composed of members of the Swiss Protestant and Catholic churches.

The film tells the story of Sanghee (Kim Minhee), the daughter of a divorced family, who travels to Jeju Island in search of her mother, whom she last saw 10 years ago. As she meets her documentary filmmaker stepfather and his daughter, Sanghee uncovers hidden truths and navigates the complexities of family relationships. The cast includes Kim Minhee, Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Seokho, Park Miso, and Choi Myung-gil.

In his acceptance speech, Director Hong expressed, "I am sincerely grateful to the selection committee for inviting my film and to the jury for their warm attention." Kim Minhee added, "I am deeply thankful to the director for creating a film as beautiful as poetry."

Still cut from the movie 'No Place to Rest'.

This triple award win continues the longstanding ties between the two and the Locarno Film Festival. It marks the fifth time Director Hong has been invited to the festival. In 2013, he won Best Director for "Our Sunhee," and in 2015, he received the Golden Leopard—the festival's top prize—for "Right Now, Wrong Then." In 2018, actor Ki Joobong won the Best Actor award for "Hotel by the River." For Kim Minhee, this is her second Best Actor award at Locarno, having first received it in 2024 for her performance in Director Hong's "Sooyuchun."

The two made their first public appearance together after the birth of their son in April last year. This film marks Kim Minhee's comeback and her first performance since giving birth.

Meanwhile, this year's Golden Leopard went to "You Don't Belong Here," directed by Romanian filmmaker Florin Serban, which depicts the relationship between a teenage son and his single father. The Special Jury Prize, the second-highest honor, was awarded to "The Riverbank," directed by Brazilian filmmakers Matheus Farias and Inãki Carvalho.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.