Korea’s ‘The Land Of Morning Calm’, Myanmar’s ‘MA Cry Of Silence’ Win New Currents Awards At Busan

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The Land Of Morning Calm, from Korean director Park Ri-woong, and MA Cry Of Silence, directed by Myanmar’s The Maw Naing, were presented with the New Currents Awards at the close of Busan International Film Festival.

The jury, headed by exiled Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, praised The Land Of Morning Calm, set among the inhabitants of a rural coastal community, for navigating “themes of economic uncertainty, loss, xenophobia, and societal prejudice, creating a narrative that never falters”.

The Land Of Morning Calm also won the KB New Currents Audience Award and the Netpac Award.

MA Cry of Silence, about a young Burmese woman who moves to the big city to work in a garment factory, was praised for “its courageous portrayal of resistance to historical and ongoing political challenges under Myanmar’s political junta”. The film was made as a co-production with Korea, Singapore, France, Norway and Qatar.

The Kim Jiseok Awards, for more established filmmakers, went to Indian filmmaker Rima Das’ Village Rockstars 2, a follow-up to her award-winning 2017 coming-of-age film Village Rockstars, and Taiwanese director Tom Lin Shu Yu’s Yen And Ai Lee, which also has multiple nominations at the upcoming Golden Horse Awards.

The Jiseok jury, including Christian Jeune, Prasanna Vithanage and Shin Suwon, described Village Rockstars 2 as “an honest poetic expression of everyday life, showing the harmony between nature and mankind through the struggles and gaze of a young girl.” Lin’s film was lauded as “an unfinishing and bold portrayal of a traumatic mother and daughter relationship with powerful, beautiful performances”.

The FIPRESCI Award went to Tale Of The Land, directed by Indonesia’s Loeloe Hendra. The first ever Documentary Audience Award was presented to Jo Seyoung’s K Number, which explores the experiences of Korean adoptees.

The Final Semester, the story of a young novice worker, was a multiple winner taking the DGK Plus M Award, KBS Independent Film Award, Songwon Citizen Critics Award

And Actor of the Year for Yoo Lee Han’s performance. See below for full list of award winners.

More on this year’s Busan International Film Festival in our wrap story coming soon..

BIFF AWARD WINNERS 2024:

New Currents Award:

The Land Of Morning Calm, dir: Park Ri-woong (Korea)

MA – Cry Of Silence, dir: The Maw Naing (Myanmar, Korea, Singapore, France, Norway, Qatar)

KIM Jiseok Award :

Village Rockstars 2, dir: Rima Das (India, Singapore)

Yen and Ai-Lee, dir: Tom Lin Shu-Yu (Taiwan)

BIFF Mecenat Award:

Works And Days, dir: Park Minsoo, Ahn Kearnhyung (Korea)

Another Home, Frankie Sin (Taiwan, Hong Kong, France)

Sonje Award:

Yurim, dir: Song Jiseo (Korea)

A Garden In Winter, dirs: Eléonore Mahmoudian, Matsui Hiroshi (Japan, France)

Actor of the Year Male: Yoo Lee ha, dir: The Final Semester (Korea)

Actor of the Year Female: Park Seoyun, Humming (Korea)

KB New Currents Audience Award: The Land Of Morning Calm, dir: Park Ri-woong (Korea)

Flash Forward Audience Award: Memories Of A Burning Body, Antonella Sudasassi Furniss (Costa Rica, Spain)

Documentary Audience Award: K Number, Jo Seyoung (Korea)

FIPRESCI Award: Tale Of The Land, dir: Loeloe Hendra (Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Qatar)

NETPAC Award: The Land Of Morning Calm, dir: Park Ri-woong (Korea)

DGK PLUS M Award:

The Final Semester, dir: Lee Ran-hee

Red Nails, dir: Hwang Seulgi

CGV Award: Fragment, dir: Kim Sung-yoon