Korea's ‘The Land of Morning Calm' Takes Top Prize at Vesoul Asian Film Festival
South Korean director Park Ri-woong's 'The Land of Morning Calm' won the top prize, the Golden Cyclo, at the Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema.
The jury, headed by Chinese auteur Jia Zhang-ke, said: ''Watching this film is like taking a dive into the sea. The director led us dive from the calming surface into the depth of life, entering the core zone of undercurrents of the surging reality.' The film won three awards at the Busan International Film Festival last year.
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The festival, which ran Feb. 11-18, saw Kazakh filmmaker Elzat Eskendir's 'Abel' emerge as another major winner. It received the Grand Jury Award, with the jury citing 'the authenticity and confidence of the director's creative vision' in capturing 'the conflicts and angers of the people on this desolate land.' The film also won the Netpac Award and Film Critics' Award, with Netpac jurors specifically noting its 'powerful look at the impact of the dismantling of collective farms on the lives of shepherds in Kazakhstan after the U.S.S.R's collapse.'
'Deal at the Border' by Dastan Zhapar Ryskeldi (Kyrgyzstan) took the Jury Prize for 'masterfully intertwining the themes of survival and moral choice.' The film also secured the Marc Haaz Award and the Friends of the Guimet Museum Award, with the latter praising how it shows 'a small-time gangster transforms into a true Antigone of Kyrgyzstan.'
Jiang Xiaoxuan's 'To Kill a Mongolian Horse' (China) received a special mention from the main jury and was named the Friends of the Guimet Museum Favorite for its portrayal of 'a Mongolian herder, gradually dispossessed of his identity in a society that is transforming its traditions into tourist attractions.'
The festival presented honorary Golden Cyclo awards to Chinese director Jia Zhang-ke and actor Zhao Tao. Other winners included 'The Witness' by Nader Saeivar (Iran) for the Audience Award for Fiction Films, 'My Dearest Viet' by Kawabata Kohei (Japan, Vietnam) for the Audience Award for Documentary Films, 'Kono Basho' by Jaime Pacena II (Philippines) for the High School Award, and Myanmar's 'Bittersweet Honey' for the Young Award.
The festival's 32nd edition is set for Jan. 26-Feb. 3, 2026.
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