Director Yeon Sang-ho's new film "Face" (screenplay/director: Yeon Sang-ho, provided/produced by: Wowpoint, co-provided/distributed by: Plus M Entertainment) announced its theatrical release in September and its invitation to the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, unveiling a first poster and trailer encapsulating a mysterious atmosphere.
With the film "Face," which features director Yeon Sang-ho alongside actors Park Jung-min, Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Hyun-bin, Lim Sung-jae, Han Ji-hyun all representing the Korean film industry, confirmed to be released in September, it has received an official invitation to the 'Special Presentation' section of the 50th Toronto International Film Festival taking place from September 4th to 14th. "Face" tells the story of ‘Lim Young-kyu,’ a craftsman who has lost his sight but has excelled in the field, and his son ‘Lim Dong-hwan,’ who unravels the mystery surrounding the death of his mother, which has been buried for 40 years.
Beginning with his first feature animation "The King of Pigs," which captivated audiences worldwide along with films "Train to Busan" and "Peninsula," director Yeon Sang-ho received his third official invitation to the Toronto International Film Festival for his film "Face," based on the graphic novel he wrote and illustrated. The film will have its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, North America's largest film festival, which is considered one of the four major film festivals in the world alongside the Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and Venice Film Festival. The festival showcases noteworthy works from various genres in its 'Special Presentation' section, which has previously introduced films like "Decision to Leave," "The Handmaiden," "The Spy Gone North," and "Smuggling," recognized for both artistic merit and public appeal. Regarding the invitation of "Face," Toronto International Film Festival senior programmer Giovanna Fulvi noted, “I am thrilled to welcome one of Korea's most pioneering and influential directors, Yeon Sang-ho, to showcase his new work "Face" in Toronto. This film, based on Yeon's first graphic novel, shows a bold turning point in his filmography while highlighting the intense energy and moral complexity that runs through his works. It is an honor to present such a powerful film for the first time at the Toronto International Film Festival.”
The unveiling of the first three posters and trailer for "Face," which captures the mystery surrounding a face erased from the world for 40 years, also garnered attention. The revealed posters center around Park Jung-min, who plays ‘young Lim Young-kyu,’ a character who lives selling stamps despite his visual impairment, and the silhouette of 'Jeong Yeong-hee,’ a female factory worker whose face is not revealed. The posters depict the scenery and figures from the Cheonggyecheon garment factory area in the 1970s, with the overall mysterious atmosphere of the posters sparking curiosity about the film.
The debut trailer, released alongside the posters, quickly captures attention with the powerful performances of Park Jung-min, who takes on two roles for the first time, and Kwon Hae-hyo, who plays a visually impaired character for the first time in his acting career. Despite having never seen the world, 'Lim Young-kyu' (Kwon Hae-hyo), a craftsman who creates the most beautiful stamps in the world, and his son 'Lim Dong-hwan' (Park Jung-min) confront the skeletal remains of his wife and mother, who went missing 40 years ago, raising curiosity about the unfolding story of "Face." The introduction of Lim Sung-jae, who plays the owner of the Cheonggyecheon garment factory ‘Baek Joo-sang,’ alongside Han Ji-hyun, who portrays the documentary PD ‘Kim Soo-jin,’ investigating the death of 'Jeong Yeong-hee,' a woman whose face neither her husband nor her son has ever seen, evokes anticipation for the past and present events that will unfold.
Wowpoint, responsible for the production and distribution of "Face," has the honor of having both "Face" and "Project Y" officially invited to the 'Special Presentation' section at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival. As a global content creator, Wowpoint is noted for producing the Netflix series "Daughter of the Family," recognized as a Korean mystery thriller, as well as "Parasyte: The Maxim," based on the legendary comic series, and the acclaimed series "Hellbound" Season 2, which captivated critics and audiences around the world with its unique worldview. The recently released film "Revelations" features acclaimed director Alfonso Cuarón as the executive producer and achieved the top position in the global TOP 10 movies (non-English) shortly after its release.
"Face," which has been officially invited to the 50th Toronto International Film Festival and unveiled its first poster and trailer, is a highly anticipated work showcasing director Yeon Sang-ho's distinctive sharp directing style and the actors' new challenges, set to be released in theaters in September.
[OSEN]