The Face Genius Actor

Episode 129

“Thank you for your time! Actor Lee Si-joon! Director Choi Seo-young!”

Le Monde’s reporter, Gautier Fournier, signaled the end of the interview.

We had been conducting interviews like this every day since the screening of “I Am Not a Villain.”

We were so busy that it was difficult to watch a movie leisurely like before.

Director Choi Seo-young and I were barely managing to watch only the films in the competition section by squeezing time between interviews.

It was a testament to how significant the “11-minute standing ovation” achievement was.

Today too, Le Monde’s reporter focused on this aspect during the interview.

Gautier Fournier was quite an enthusiastic reporter.

He fired off several questions with his face slightly flushed, as if excited.

I thought that the reporter from France’s top newspaper was indeed somewhat different.

“Please don’t forget that you agreed to do an additional interview if you receive an award at tomorrow’s competition section awards ceremony!”

Gautier Fournier left these words at the end, and I promised to do so.

After the Le Monde reporter left, Director Choi Seo-young spoke.

“Every day feels like a dream. I was surprised when we interviewed with Spain’s top newspaper El Mundo yesterday, and now it’s Le Monde.”

“I know. I’m still in a daze. They say articles about the 11-minute standing ovation have been published in Korea too, right?”

“It seems the reporters who interviewed us on the day already spread the news. The internet is plastered with stories about us.”

Korean films had already achieved great success at the Cannes Film Festival several times.

They had experience winning Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Jury Prize, Grand Prix, and the Palme d’Or.

However, even “The Ant Worker,” which won the Palme d’Or, only received about 8 minutes of standing ovation.

Although 8 minutes was a sufficiently long time, it was somewhat short compared to the 11 minutes of “I Am Not a Villain.”

Perhaps because of this, there was a sentiment in Korea that “I Am Not a Villain” might achieve results as good as “The Ant Worker.”

However, I didn’t think too positively about winning an award.

‘Among Korean films, “Emergency Declaration” also received a 10-minute standing ovation but didn’t win an award.’

Of course, “Emergency Declaration” was an invited work in the non-competition section.

But what we could learn from this case was that the length of the standing ovation doesn’t necessarily determine whether a film wins an award.

The standing ovation time was merely a measure to gauge the reaction of the audience at the venue.

So both Director Choi Seo-young and I had put aside our expectations for winning an award.

Our common opinion was to just enjoy the current situation.

We had already exceeded our initial goals, so there was no reason to be impatient expecting an award.

To be optimistic about the future, the achievement of an 11-minute standing ovation would certainly help promote “I Am Not a Villain” domestically.

We were expecting that when “I Am Not a Villain” is released in Korea, it might attract between 3 to 5 million viewers.

As “I Am Not a Villain” was produced with an art film concept, it was difficult to expect more box office success than this.

Even with an 11-minute standing ovation at Cannes, this was the limit.

Gaining public support was not as easy as one might think.

‘Well… Compared to thinking we might not even be able to secure proper screenings for the film, this is amazing.’

I sincerely thought this and did my best to enjoy the Cannes Film Festival, not knowing when I might get to come again.

But unlike our optimistic attitude, the people around us seemed quite expectant.

Yeo Kyung-chan was in a frenzy, saying we should ride a better car on the day of the awards ceremony, and Song Jin-ah was blaming herself, thinking the styling she prepared was too ordinary.

The interpreter also asked me and Director Choi Seo-young for acceptance speeches in advance.

This was because having the acceptance speeches in advance would allow for smooth interpretation.

“Have you given your acceptance speech to the interpreter?”

“Not yet. When I actually tried to write it, I couldn’t think of what to say…”

“I felt the same. I’ll have to think about it and submit it by tonight.”

“I should do that too. I wonder what I should write.”

As we were pondering this, a reporter arrived for the next interview.

This time it was an interview with Italy’s top newspaper, Corriere della Sera.

* * *

The Cannes Film Festival awards ceremony was held together with the closing ceremony.

Therefore, the closing ceremony could be considered the true highlight of the Cannes Film Festival.

However, perhaps because we had walked the red carpet so many times, I didn’t feel much excitement.

It seemed even more so because we had no expectations of winning an award.

On the contrary, the media frenzy surrounding Director Choi Seo-young and me seemed even hotter than during the screening.

Our status had certainly improved a lot compared to the opening ceremony.

This was evident just from the fact that we had conducted exclusive interviews with global newspapers for several days.

“It’s amazing until the very end.”

“Indeed.”

Director Choi Seo-young and I chatted while lightly waving at the cameras.

This was possible because we had become more relaxed.

After passing through the red carpet and arriving at the closing ceremony venue, we could see directors and actors filling the seats.

Perhaps because we had personally watched the works of the people in this place while living in Cannes, their presence felt even more glamorous.

This aspect seemed like something I wouldn’t get used to no matter how many times I attended the Cannes Film Festival.

What was even more surprising was that our seats were among these people.

Director Choi Seo-young and I sat in our designated seats and waited for the official closing ceremony to begin.

The person closest to winning the Palme d’Or at this Cannes Film Festival was Director Ranle Kallis, who was invited with the film “Yellow Rose.”

He had been considered a strong candidate for the award even before the Cannes Film Festival began, and the reaction at the screening was also significant.

The standing ovation lasted for 16 minutes, the longest record at this Cannes Film Festival.

Even to me, “Yellow Rose” was the most excellent work among the films I watched here.

‘”84: Polonium” and “Black Interface” were not far behind, but…’

It seemed that Ranle Kallis’s “Yellow Rose” would likely receive the Palme d’Or.

I was internally convinced of this, and the official Cannes Film Festival awards ceremony began with the closing remarks from last year’s Palme d’Or winner.

“We will now announce the Best Screenplay award! The Best Screenplay award goes to Tyler Haidar for ’84: Polonium’!”

The Best Screenplay award ceremony was held first, and surprisingly, the Best Screenplay award went to Tyler Haidar’s “84: Polonium.”

Although it was a smaller award for a strong contender for the Palme d’Or, it was still a meaningful achievement.

This was because Tyler Haidar, like us, was a director invited for the first time.

Of course, he wasn’t a complete newcomer like Director Choi Seo-young and me.

However, now that this had happened, Tyler Haidar’s “84: Polonium” couldn’t receive the Palme d’Or.

This was because the Cannes Film Festival, in principle, did not allow multiple awards.

However, in the case of Best Screenplay and Jury Prize, with the special permission of the jury president, they could receive Best Actress or Best Actor.

Nevertheless, the fact that it couldn’t receive the Palme d’Or remained unchanged.

‘Well… It doesn’t seem like Tyler Haidar was particularly eager for the Palme d’Or anyway…’

The fact that he was choking up while giving his acceptance speech was evidence of this.

Certainly, receiving the Best Screenplay award at your first invitation to Cannes was a great achievement.

Next came the announcement of the Jury Prize, which held the status of the third-place film award.

The Jury Prize was lower in status compared to the Palme d’Or or the Grand Prix.

However, in terms of highly evaluating the overall quality of the work, it held about the same status as the Best Screenplay award.

In some cases, it could be even more meaningful than the Best Screenplay award.

‘If “I Am Not a Villain” were to aim for an award…’

The Jury Prize had some possibility.

But I didn’t have high expectations.

Director Choi Seo-young also seemed relaxed, waiting for the announcement of the winning work as if she had no particular thoughts.

And then a surprising thing happened.

“The Jury Prize goes to “I Am Not a Villain”!”

The name “I Am Not a Villain” was called out by the presenter.

Director Choi Seo-young and I looked at each other simultaneously.

At the same time, Director Choi Seo-young burst into tears.

I also felt my eyes getting moist, unable to believe the current situation.

‘Did “I Am Not a Villain” really receive an award at the Cannes Film Festival?’

Meanwhile, congratulatory words poured in from around us.

I handed a handkerchief to the crying Director Choi Seo-young to comfort her and said,

“Director. Wipe your tears. We need to go give the acceptance speech.”

Then Director Choi Seo-young, startled once again, asked back.

“Me? Why me? You should give the acceptance speech, actor.”

I shook my head and pressed the handkerchief into Director Choi Seo-young’s hand.

“You should go up, Director. You’re Choi Seo-young, the director of “I Am Not a Villain.””

Director Choi Seo-young, who had been looking dazed for a moment, took the handkerchief, wiped her tears, and nodded.

“Okay. I’ll be back.”

With that, Director Choi Seo-young started walking towards the stage.

I felt proud as I watched her.

Director Choi Seo-young deserved to go up on that stage.

After all, if it weren’t for Director Choi Seo-young, “I Am Not a Villain” wouldn’t have taken its current form.

A moment later.

Director Choi Seo-young, holding a bouquet and trophy, began her acceptance speech.

The method was that Director Choi Seo-young would say a few sentences of her acceptance speech first, and then the interpreter would relay it in French.

“When the interpreter next to me asked to provide the acceptance speech in advance, I didn’t know if such a moment would really come. It’s surprising.”

Director Choi Seo-young eased the tension with a light joke and began her formal acceptance speech.

“Until recently, I was just a student who wanted to make films. I was a college student, and the friend who had promised to work part-time jobs together to make a film had run away.

In that quite desperate moment, it was Lee Si-joon, the actor and screenwriter of “I Am Not a Villain,” who held my hand.

If I hadn’t been chosen by Actor Lee Si-joon, I wouldn’t have become the director of the historic work “I Am Not a Villain,” which has left its mark on the Cannes Film Festival.

Everything is the achievement of Lee Si-joon, the filmmaker I respect the most, and I’m standing here simply because I’m the director.

So even if everyone here forgets everything else, I hope you’ll remember the three syllables of the name Lee Si-joon.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Actor Lee Si-joon once again, and finally, I’d like to express my gratitude to my beloved parents. Thank you.”

Perhaps because she had prepared in advance, Director Choi Seo-young delivered her acceptance speech relatively well.

And because of that, the attention around us turned towards me.

It felt as if people were trying to remember me, just as Director Choi Seo-young had said in her acceptance speech.

For me, Director Choi Seo-young’s acceptance speech couldn’t help but feel grateful.

My heart swelled with pride.

I exchanged a light smile with Director Choi Seo-young as she returned to her seat.

Director Choi Seo-young handed me the trophy and said,

“Take it. This is yours, isn’t it?”

“Why is this mine? It’s yours, Director. I’m happy enough just to have been mentioned by you.”

“But still…”

“I mean it.”

In the meantime, the Best Actress award ceremony took place, and then it was time for the Best Actor award.

At that moment, the name “I Am Not a Villain” was called out once again.

“The Best Actor award goes to… Lee Si-joon from “I Am Not a Villain”!”