Grand Prix for Best Film of the Year to "3-Iron" by Kim Ki-duk

The international recognition granted at the Donostia-San Sebastian Film Festival by FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) with its Grand Prix for Best Film of the Year clearly underlines the importance of this award, now in its seventh year. 300 members of the Federation from all over the world have cast their votes for a film released between August 2004 and July 2005.


The prize, created to back the most audacious, original and personal cinema, goes in its seventh year to a Korean director who has in recent years earned himself a place of honour on the world movie chessboard: Kim Ki-duk with his film Bin-jip (3-Iron), Silver Lion for Best Director at Venice Festival in 2004 and Golden Spike at Valladolid 2004.


3-Iron takes its name from a lesser-used golf club; a solitary, trustworthy club, like the star of the film, a quiet young boy with no friends who rather than simply squatting empty houses, actually lives in them, taking care of them. In fact he spends his time doing repairs, washing clothes, leaving everything spic and span when he leaves. Until one day he enters a house less empty than he had expected to find a “broken” girl he resolves to mend with the same care and attention. This is a perfect love story in which the classic redemption thread running through all of Kim Ki-duk’s movies finds an original and simple way of expressing itself.


The FIPRESCI Grand Prix will be presented on 15th September at the opening gala of the 53rd San Sebastián Festival, which Kim Ki-duk is expected to attend.


BIN-JIP (3-IRON)

Director: Kim Ki-duk

Screenplay: Kim Ki-duk

Photography: Jang Seung-baek

Cast: Lee Seung-yeon, Jae Hee

Runtime: 95 m

Country: Korea 2004