(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS details, byline, photos)By Lee Minji
SEOUL, July 21 (Yonhap) -- Three Korean films by directors Yeon Sang-ho, Lee Chang-dong and Hur Jin-ho have been invited to screen at this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the festival's organizers said Tuesday.
Yeon's "Paradise Lost" and Lee's "Possible Love" will have their world premiere and North American premiere, respectively, in the Special Presentations section at the 51st edition of the prestigious festival, set for Sept. 10-20, according to the organizers.
Hur's "The Assassin(s)" will have its world premiere in the Gala Presentations section.
This image, provided by CJ ENM and Wow Point, shows a poster for Korean director Yeon Sang-ho's upcoming film "Paradise Lost." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The mystery thriller "Paradise Lost" follows So-young (Kim Hyun-joo), who uses an artificial intelligence (AI) program to remember her son, Sun-woo (Bae Hyun-sung), who went missing, but finds herself discomforted when he actually returns after nine years.
Yeon called the film, based on the Korean novel "Black Inferno," one of his darkest pieces that portrays a mother who grapples between the son she has reinvented through AI and her real son.
The filmmaker returns to TIFF in just a year, following the screening of his mystery thriller "The Ugly" last year.
This image, provided by Netflix, shows a scene from Korean director Lee Chang-dong's upcoming film "Possible Love." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"Possible Love" marks Lee's first feature film in eight years following the critically acclaimed "Burning" (2018).
The Netflix film centers on the intertwined lives of two married couples -- a laid-off worker and his wife and an affluent documentary filmmaker and her husband -- and the story that unfolds as they meet.
It features a star-studded cast, including Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong.
Lee previously presented his films "Oasis" (2002) and "Secret Sunshine" (2007) at TIFF and served on the festival's jury in 2018.
"The Assassin(s)" is a historical thriller based on the 1974 assassination attempt against then President Park Chung-hee, which resulted in the death of the first lady.
The film stars Yoo Hae-jin as a police detective and Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho as journalists trying to uncover the truth behind the incident.
The upcoming screening will mark Hur's third invitation to the film festival. He was previously invited in 2012 for "Dangerous Liaisons" and in 2023 for "A Normal Family."
This image, provided by Hive Media Corp., shows a poster for Korean director Hur Jin-ho's upcoming film "The Assassin(s)." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
TIFF's Special Presentations section is known for showcasing outstanding contemporary films from around the world.
It has previously featured iconic Korean films, including Bong Joon-ho's "Mother" (2009) and "Parasite" (2019), Park Chan-wook's "The Handmaiden" (2016) and "Decision to Leave" (2022), Kim Jee-woon's "The Age of Shadows" (2016) and Ryoo Seung-wan's "I, the Executioner" (2024).