"When my name was called, I panicked for a few seconds. I want to slowly wallow in this feeling."
Actor Song Kang-ho on May 31 recalled the moment when he heard his name called as the winner of the Best Actor award on May 28 at the 75th Cannes Film Festival for his role in "Broker."
At a news conference held at the mutiplex CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District, Song, the movie's director Hirokazu Kore-eda and fellow cast members Gang Dong-won, Lee Ji-eun (also known as IU) and Lee Joo-young spoke to the media after the domestic premiere of the film, after its world premiere on May 26 in Cannes.
"They actually give out very few awards at the Cannes Film Festival. They give them to seven of 21 nominees for an extremely low success rate of one-third," Song said. "They make phone calls to the people related to the seven (award-winning) films before the closing ceremony, and waiting for that call was nerve racking as if my blood was drying up."
"Once we got that phone call, our minds grew calm because we knew that we'd receive at least one award," he said smiling.
Director Kore-eda said, "Some people from media (whom I met at the festival) told us that I looked happier than usual," adding, "To be genuinely and truly happy over winning an award itself is something I'd never experienced before. I was so happy in that respect."
The Japanese Kore-eda said he cannot speak Korean at all. "Actor Song looked over my edited script. He provided a lot of feedback on the slight differences between the nuances of the scripts and comparisons between cuts."
"Song's help from the beginning of filming until the end helped me overcome my fears and complete the movie."
In response, Song said, "Director Kore-eda told the cast from the beginning that a lot of feedback from us would help him," adding, "When I asked to discuss the edited script after reading it, he said, 'As much as you want. I was really hoping for (feedback),' and I was grateful for such a response."
"I'm embarrassed as the director gave me so many compliments over something that wasn't a big deal," a humble Song said jokingly.
"Broker" is about a group of criminals who try to sell an abandoned infant at a high price and detectives who try to catch them red handed. As Kore-eda's first Korean film, the movie depicts people from the marginalized and unprotected social class through strong direction and sharp and warm perspective.
The film is the first Korean production to win both Best Actor and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at Cannes. The latter honor goes to a film that "best touches the spiritual dimension of our existence" according to the Ecumenical jury, and the award is given at the Cannes, Berlin and Montreal film festivals.
"Broker" is slated for release in Korea on June 8.
