‘Hope’ Director Na Hong-jin Wins Action Cinema Award at the 25th New York Asian Film Festival

The hot-button release 〈Hope〉, which has been taking the No. 1 spot at the box office day after day since its debut, was selected as the centerpiece screening at the 25th New York Asian Film Festival and held a North American premiere screening on Monday, July 20. In the Q&A that followed the screening, director Na Hong-jin personally took part, sharing a dense, in-depth discussion about the work and spending a special time with viewers. The New York Asian Film Festival is a leading North American event that began in 2002 to introduce Asian films and culture. It has been curating and presenting a wide range of Asian films, from popular blockbuster hits to artistically rich independent films and genre films. The centerpiece presentation category, for which 〈Hope〉 was invited, is one of the festival’s signature programs and selects, among the invited titles, the film that the festival is most focused on spotlighting. At this year’s festival, director Na Hong-jin met with Ari Aster, widely regarded as a young auteur, after directing 〈Hereditary〉 and 〈Midsommar〉.

At this year’s festival, director Na Hong-jin received the ‘Daniel A. Craft Award for Excellence in Action Cinema’ for the people working at the pinnacle of genre filmmaking. The award was established to honor Daniel Craft (Dan Craft), the festival co-founder who passed away in 2013 and was an action-film enthusiast. It is presented to filmmakers who developed the art of action cinema to the highest level. Na Hong-jin, who received the honor on his birthday, told the audience that sang congratulatory songs: “Even before we got started, and even while we were getting started, I’m on my third day of celebrating my birthday here, while getting congratulated. Thank you sincerely for your congratulations. I’m in a great mood because I’m receiving such a weighty, wonderful award.” At the 25th New York Asian Film Festival, the festival is also drawing global attention by holding a retrospective screening all of director Na Hong-jin’s feature directorial works, including 〈The Chaser〉, 〈The Yellow Sea〉, and 〈The Wailing〉.

In addition, praise from overseas media columnists for 〈Hope〉 has continued after the screening. “There’s a lot to talk about and a lot to chew on in this film. The way it plays freely with the grammar of the genre and the audience’s expectations was also impressive.” (THE NEW YORK TIMES, Rebecca Davis) “I got the sense that the action sequences are designed in a truly meticulous and exacting way, and that the alien designs were all original in their own right. Most of all, it was genuinely hilarious.” (INVERSE. Hoai-Tran Bui) “In the end, I can’t even explain what all of this really means, but even the confusion is part of the ‘experience’ this film delivers. It’s gigantic to the maximum extent a movie can reach, and it won’t be stopped. I loved this movie to the point of madness.” (Brandon Streussnig),

“The action scenes were nothing short of amazing. And when it finally got to the last chase sequence featuring dialogue, I couldn’t even believe what I was watching, and I could only marvel at the polish and the technical skill.” (DEN OF GEEK, David Crow), and more. Attention is focused on the outpouring of praise for director Na Hong-jin’s uniquely original direction, meticulous production, and intense action sequences. The film 〈Hope〉, winning worldwide acclaim for its overwhelming cinematic experience, is set to keep building an unstoppable run at the box office.

〈Hope〉 follows the story that begins when “Beom-seok,” the head of the Hope Port office located in the Demilitarized Zone, hears from young locals that a tiger has appeared in the neighborhood. With the whole village thrown into emergency mode, the film kicks off after the characters encounter an unbelievable reality. Earning rousing praise from domestic and international media, critics, and audiences alike, 〈Hope〉 has been captivating theaters this summer and is currently playing in theaters across the country.