The Best Film prize at the 56th Grand Bell Awards -- South Korea’s major film festival, also known as Daejong Film Awards -- held at Grand Walker Hill Seoul on Wednesday went to Oscar-star “Parasite.”

“It is a great honor to receive the Best Film award at the Daejong Film Awards at these difficult times,” said Kwak Sin-ae who heads the film’s production company, Barunson E&A, reading the acceptance speech on behalf of director Bong who is on long leave after a series of international events.

“Two years ago around this period we were producing the film, and last year it was finally showcased to the audience. I miss people who used to fill the seats at theaters and also at the award ceremony,” Kwak added her personal thoughts. 

The 56th Grand Bell Awards was held without any audience for the first time since 1962 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of five films that include “Extreme Job,” “House of Hummingbird,” “Forbidden Dream” and “Innocent Witness” were nominated for the Best Film.
 

Director Bong also won the Best Director award for “Parasite.”

The other nominees of the Best Director were Kim Bora of “House of Hummingbird,” Lee Byeong-heon of “Extreme Job,” Jang Jae-hyun of “Savaha: The Sixth Finger” and Chung Ji-young of “Black Money.”

“Parasite” also won Best Picture, Best Scenario and Best Music awards.

The Best Actress award went to Jung Yu-mi of “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982,” while that for Best Actor went to Lee Byung-hun of “Ashfall,” who won the award for the third time. 

“The film ‘Ashfall’ is a disaster movie, but what we are facing in real life feels like a movie than any other films,” Lee said at the acceptance speech. “It has been a long time since we have seen a film at a theater comfortably. I hope for the time when we used to enjoy watching films at a theater will come soon.”

The award was exclusively broadcast live on MBN at 7 p.m. emceed by comedian Lee Hwi-jae and fashion model Han Hye-jin.

By Park Yuna (yunapark@heraldcorp.com)