“I could not have hoped for it.” That says film journalist Hedwig van Driel at Cine about the profit of Parasite at the Oscars last night. The South Korean film was nominated six times and cashed in four, including Best Film and Best Director. Never before has a non-English-language film won the prize for Best Film.
Unbelief is also what you see in the South Korean newspapers. “Can you believe that Parasite has won the prize for Best Film? ‘ headlines Chosun Ilbo, the largest newspaper in the country.
President Moon Jae-in has congratulated and thanked director Bong Joon-ho, because he “makes our people proud and gives them courage in a period when we are facing major problems”.
Infiltrate
Parasite is a black comedy. Ki-woo, son in the poverty-stricken Park family, is going to give tutoring to the daughter of wealthy parents. The attractive salary is a reason for the Kim family to infiltrate into the rich family. With this they think they are improving their own position, but things are going differently than hoped.
The subject is playing
We asked three film journalists why this film won. Omar Larabi, who writes for the Filmkrant and others, did not find it the best film of the past year, but is happy with the win.
Americans have a strong preference for English-language films, without subtitles. “Who knows, cinema visitors in the US will mature once in a while,” said Larabi. Last month, after winning the Golden Palm, director Bong Joon-ho said that “once you have taken the small barrier of subtitling, a world of great movies will open for you”.
According to Larabi, director Bong Joon-ho is a filmmaker who makes great films that are well-watched abroad, such as Memories of Murder and Snowpiercer. He finds that in Parasite is well acted by experienced actors and young talents. He also calls it an anti-capitalist film that fits well with the interest of American cinema visitors. Larabi: “That subject is playing there.”
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