"My Private Art Lover," distributed by Taekwang Group media affiliate tCast, has been selected as the opening film of the 27th Jeonju International Film Festival, which begins on May 29.
Making its Korean premiere at the Jeonju International Film Festival, "My Private Art Lover" tells the story of Edgar, a former poet who now lives an ordinary life working at a New York post office. The narrative unfolds as he encounters young aspiring artists who are passionate about a poetry collection he wrote decades ago. The drama has drawn attention for its delicate portrayal of a character's inner world as he wavers between past and present, art and reality.
Director Kent Jones is a former critic who wrote for prestigious film publications including France's Cahiers du Cinéma, and the U.S.-based Film Comment and Cinema Scope. He served as executive director of the New York Film Festival and programmer at Lincoln Center. He co-directed "A Letter to Elia" with Martin Scorsese and is well known in Korea for "Hitchcock/Truffaut," which was invited to the Cannes Film Festival. Following his narrative feature debut "Diane," his second feature "My Private Art Lover" was invited to the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, reaffirming his artistic credentials.
The film stars Willem Dafoe, known for "The Florida Project" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel," alongside Greta Lee of "Past Lives," delivering powerful on-screen chemistry. Sammy Burch of "May December" wrote the screenplay, while Killer Films, the production company behind "Carol" and "Past Lives," produced the film. Martin Scorsese served as executive producer, elevating the production's quality.
Selected as the Jeonju International Film Festival's opening film, "My Private Art Lover" will meet audiences as Director Kent Jones visits Korea for the opening ceremony to hold a press conference and a GV (audience talk) session. Following previous opening films such as the Dardenne Brothers' "Tori and Lokita," Sho Miyake's "All the Long Nights," and Kogonada's "After Yang," the selection has raised expectations as one of the must-watch films in this year's cinema landscape.
A tCast official said, "It is very meaningful that this highly accomplished work featuring world-renowned directors and actors has been selected as the opening film of the Jeonju International Film Festival. We expect it will be a film that leaves a lasting impression on Korean audiences."
"My Private Art Lover" will have its Korean premiere at the 27th Jeonju International Film Festival and is scheduled for theatrical release in the second half of this year.