The Film That Lit My Fuse is a Deadline video series that aims to provide an antidote to headlines about industry uncertainty by swinging the conversation back to the creative ambitions, formative influences and inspirations of some of today’s great screen artists. Every installment asks the same five questions.
Today’s subject is Park Chan-wook, the Seoul-born director whose films include the shocking Vengeance trilogy — Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance — and the new film Decision to Leave. Before he became one of South Korea’s most prominent directors, Park Chan-wook struggled and made a living as a film critic. That was until his film Kang Je-giu’s Shiru became the most watched feature ever in South Korea, which was surpassed by his film Joint Security Area. His shocking film Oldboy won the Grand Prix prize at Cannes, and he also directed Stoker and Thirst. Among his works as producer are Snowpiercer and The Handmaiden. With the help of his interpreter, the filmmaker takes us through the influences that helped forge his singular style.