Cannes Film Festival's First Student Section 1st Prize Winner Director Heo Ga-young's Film 'First Summer' to Release in August at Megabox

This year, Heo Ga-young, who won the first prize in the student section at the Cannes International Film Festival, will present her short film 〈First Summer〉 in domestic theaters next month.

The Korean Film Council announced that Heo Ga-young's short film 〈First Summer〉 will be released exclusively at Megabox on August 6. This work set a new milestone in Korean cinema by winning the first prize in the 'La Cinéf' section at the 77th Cannes International Film Festival last May.

The 'La Cinéf' section is an official section of the Cannes Film Festival that showcases short and medium-length works by film school students from around the world. This is the first time a Korean work has won the top prize in this section.

Heo Ga-young's graduation work from the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) 41st class, 〈First Summer〉, has attracted attention for its unique subject matter. The film delicately portrays the story of an elderly woman, Young-sook, who wishes to attend her boyfriend's 49th-day ceremony instead of her granddaughter's wedding. It is known to deeply explore the psychology of an elderly person conflicted between traditional family relationships and personal emotions.

In Korea, it was first screened at the 29th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, which opened on the 3rd. The screening sold out, confirming the audience's strong interest.