The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Minister Choi Hwi-young sent a congratulatory message to director Jin Mi-song, who won second prize in the La Cinef section at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival underway in the southern French resort city of Cannes, for her film "Silent Voices."
In the message, Choi said, "'Silent Voices,' which captures a quiet but deep resonance through the daily life of an immigrant family, moved the hearts of filmmakers around the world, transcending the barriers of language and culture." He added, "This award has demonstrated the strength of the next generation of Korean cinema and will serve as an occasion to give new courage and inspiration to our young filmmakers."
He continued, "I look forward to your sharing wonderful stories that pierce through the times with an untiring spirit of challenge and a warm gaze toward those around you."
La Cinef is one of the competitive sections of the Cannes International Film Festival, dedicated to discovering next-generation filmmakers through short and medium-length films made by film school students from around the world. This year, 19 films were officially invited from 2,747 entries, from which the winners were selected. Among them, two Korea-related films were invited: Jin's "Silent Voices" and director Choi Won-jung's animation "Bird Rhapsody."
Notably, in last year's La Cinef section at Cannes, "First Summer" by director Heo Ga-young, a graduate of the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), won the top prize.
