Na Hong-jin, 10 Years After His Last Film, 'Hope'... "Break-even Point of 20 Million Viewers?" [Cannes ★ Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Selected for the Competition Section of the 79th Cannes International Film Festival — Interview with Director Na Hong-jin on the Film 'Hope'

Director Na Hong-jin, who directed the film 'Hope', clarified reports claiming the film's break-even point is 20 million viewers.

On the 18th (local time), in the afternoon at the Majestic Hotel in Cannes, France, where the 79th Cannes International Film Festival is being held, Director Na Hong-jin gave an interview about the film 'Hope' (directed by Na Hong-jin) and shared stories related to the work. 'Hope' begins with the story of 'Beom-seok', the head of the Pohang outpost located in the Demilitarized Zone, who hears from local youths that a tiger has appeared, causing the entire village to go on high alert as he encounters an unbelievable reality.

Na Hong-jin's film 'Hope', his first release in 10 years since 'The Wailing', premiered worldwide at the Lumière Grand Theatre on the 17th, followed by approximately seven minutes of standing ovations. 'Hope' is a thriller that also captivates audiences worldwide as a science fiction film featuring aliens.

When asked why it took 10 years to release a film after 'The Wailing', Director Na Hong-jin replied, "There was a pandemic. I had a script, but it was difficult due to the pandemic, so I started working on it when things calmed down. I worked nonstop, but there was just too much to do."

When asked about his impressions of watching 'Hope' at the Lumière Theatre, Director Na said, "When you watch your own work, you tend to notice more unsatisfactory parts than satisfying ones. I felt regret and thought, 'I need to add more.' I saw many incomplete parts." He added, "Thinking about those parts, I've been continuing post-production in Seoul. I held meetings all night after noticing the shortcomings."

'Hope' runs by playing with genres. It is a complex mix of thriller, action, and science fiction. When asked to define the genre of the film, Director Na said, "I made it as a thriller, but since everyone calls it action, it must be action." He explained, "I think the term 'genre' itself is just a convenient label created to make distinctions easier. If you call it action, then it becomes action."

One of the key points in the film where the genre shifts is the appearance of the alien creature. In the early part of the film, Director Na leads the story without showing the creature, relying solely on anticipation. Thus, the scene where the creature appears is also a crucial point. Director Na said, "I set it up that way too, and I wondered how to introduce the alien in the most ideal way. I went on location scouting and, while setting things up, I felt that the scene shown in the film was ideal. After repeating various attempts, it became clear around the middle of pre-production."

'Hope', the film released by Director Na Hong-jin after 10 years, had already sparked many discussions before its release. In particular, there were reports that the film's production budget was 700 billion won and that the break-even point was 20 million viewers.

In response, Director Na Hong-jin said, "If the break-even point were 20 million viewers, I could buy a studio with that money." He added, "I haven't calculated it properly, but it is absolutely not that high. I have seen the figures mentioned by the media a few times, and they do not reach that number."

Regarding rumors that 'Hope' is being prepared as a trilogy, he added, "We have never made any official statement. We have jokingly discussed among ourselves that it could become a trilogy or a duology, or it could end here."

Meanwhile, the Cannes International Film Festival will announce the winners among this year's competition entries at the closing ceremony on the 23rd. It is expected to be watched whether Director Na Hong-jin's new science fiction film 'Hope' will be honored at the closing ceremony of this year's Cannes International Film Festival.

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*This content was translated by AI.