Official Selection of the Moscow International Film Festival, Director Jeong Cho-shin's Holds Press Conference

<Dream of the Waking Life> <The Man and the Woman from the North and South> <Jakarta> Director Jeong Cho-shin's new work, <Dreaming Photo Studio>, which was officially invited to the non-competitive section of the 47th Moscow International Film Festival, held a press/distribution preview and press conference on July 9 at Lotte Cinema Gunja Entrance. <Dreaming Photo Studio> is a road movie that captures the journey of three people's dreams and healing set in Madagascar, Africa, where Director Jeong Cho-shin and actors Yang Su-jin and Jang Tae-hwa attended the press conference to share their thoughts and behind-the-scenes stories about the work.

First, Director Jeong Cho-shin said, “By a fortunate opportunity, I got to volunteer in Africa with actors Shin Mi-sik and Jang Tae-hwa. We filmed our activities in a documentary format, and during that time, we talked about wanting to act out the stories they had hoped for. The dreams they had cherished in their hearts were something I wanted to turn into a script, and although there were many difficulties in getting to the release, like heading into the unknown, I was able to come this far thanks to the warm support from those around me,” expressing his gratitude.

As the first Korean film shot in Africa, it drew attention, and the actors also shared episodes from their time there, capturing interest. Actor Yang Su-jin said, “It was physically very tough because we had to travel over 16 hours on unpaved roads. Especially since I was the only actress, I was able to film comfortably because everyone around me took care of me and showed consideration.” Actor Jang Tae-hwa shared, “Personally, I have visited Madagascar about four times. Nine years ago, I participated in volunteer work with 12 ukuleles for local children, and thanks to that connection, I have often been able to shoot works set in Madagascar.” He continued, “The hardest part about being there was that there were so many fleas that I was bitten frequently. Eating and drinking water made my body so weak that I had to go to the bathroom more than 20 times a day for 26 days, but when I visited again two weeks ago, I seemed to have built up immunity, and I didn’t need to take medicine. A local person said, ‘Now I have become friends with the fleas and food here,’ which made everyone laugh. Also, it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. I highly recommend it as a travel destination, and I hope that those who cannot travel in person can feel that emotion through this work,” he conveyed.

The film <Dreaming Photo Studio> was also born from the story of actor Jang Tae-hwa, who was the protagonist of the music documentary <Madagascar Music> (2023), directed by Jeong Cho-shin. Regarding this, actor Jang Tae-hwa expressed, “When I first received the script, I cried while praying because it was such an undeserved role. It was a task that anyone could not do, and although it is a documentary, I wanted to express my gratitude to the director and writer for allowing me to be part of such a bright and fairy tale-like story.” He also participated as the music director for this work, stating, “I wanted to include good music in a good movie, so I watched the film over 170 times to create the songs,” revealing his sincere efforts to not miss the film's emotions. Meanwhile, a surprise phone connection with actor Shin Mi-sik, who is currently staying in Africa, also drew attention. Actor Shin Mi-sik said, “Since I am not an actor, I might have been lacking in my acting. I would appreciate it if you could watch and support me,” delivering a short but heartfelt message that drew cheers and applause from the audience. The fairy tale-like travel story of <Dreaming Photo Studio>, which embarks on a journey to find forgotten dreams in the unfamiliar land of Madagascar, will be released on July 16.