Stills from The Hill of Freedom.
M1905 Movie Network authorized to publish a report on December 7 that the new film "Freedom Hill" directed by South Korean director Hong Sang-so, starring Japanese actor Ryo Kase, won the "Golden Hot Air Balloon Award", the highest award at the 36th Nantes Film Festival recently held in Nantes, France.
The film tells the story of a Japanese man played by Ryo Kase who searches for love in Seoul, South Korea. The heroine is played by Korean actress Moon So-ri, in addition, Jung Eun-choi, Seo Ling-ho, Yoon Joo-jeong, Kim Yi-sung and other Korean personality film stars co-starred.
"Freedom Hill" has been shortlisted for this year's Venice International Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Busan Film Festival and other overseas film festivals, and has received high praise overseas. Winning the Nantes Film Festival Award in France made Ryo Kase can't hide his excitement: "It's amazing! Really very happy! Ryo Kase, who claims to be a fan of director Hong Sang-so, said that he hopes to use this award to let more Japanese audiences know about this excellent Korean director.
Born in 1979, the French Nantes Film Festival is held annually in the western French city of Nantes, and unlike other European and American film festivals, the Nantes Film Festival is an international film event that specially introduces excellent films from Asia, Africa and Latin America to Europe. Last year (2013), the film "Shoko by the River" (directed by Koji Fukada), starring Japanese actress Futakaido Tomi, won the golden hot air balloon award, the highest award. In addition, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda's "Next Stop, Heaven" (1998) and director Katsuya Tomita's "Nostalgia" (2011) have also won the award.
The film "Freedom Hill" will be released nationwide in Japan on December 13, 2014.