‘You bunch of hypocrites!’
Actress slams Berlin film fest for inviting director who assaulted her
SEOUL: A South Korean actress has accused the Berlin film festival organisers of hypocrisy for inviting a director who assaulted her to this year’s event while promoting it as a forum to tackle abuse in the industry.
The actress, who has refused to be publicly identified, last year accused renowned Seoul director Kim Ki-duk of physical and sexual abuse, saying he beat her and forced her into unscripted, unwanted sex and nude scenes while shooting his 2013 film Moebius.
Kim, 57, is one of South Korea’s top directors whose awards include Berlin’s Silver Bear for Samaritan Girl in 2004 and the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for Pieta in 2012.
His latest work, Human, Space, Time and Human, will have its world premiere in the Panorama Special section of this year’s Berlinale, which begins on Thursday.
“I find the decision to invite Kim deeply sad and extremely hypocritical,” the actress said, adding that she had been left “devastated” by the entire episode and experience.
“Kim admitted and was found guilty of physically assaulting me on the film set. Yet the Berlinale rolled out a red carpet to him while boasting about their support for the #Metoo movement,” she said.
Berlinale chief Dieter Kosslick said that this year’s festival would shine a light on sexual misconduct and serve as a “forum” to bring “concrete changes” to the treatment of women in the film industry.
Some of the most high-profile cases revealed by the global #MeToo
I find the decision to invite Kim deeply sad and extremely hypocritical. South Korean actress
phenomenon have involved top entertainment figures, such as movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and actor-director Kevin Spacey.
Kosslick said he had disqualified some productions from the festival because a director, screenwriter or star was facing credible sexual misconduct allegations.
The actress spoke out in December about the abuse she suffered at Kim’s hands on the set of the 2013 film, where she was eventually replaced by another actress. Her allegation is a rarity in the South’s lucrative, male-dominated film industry.
But she still spoke behind a white screen during her press conference for fear of online bullying and shaming in a nation that remains patriarchal despite its economic and technological advances.
Seoul prosecutors dropped sexual abuse charges citing a lack of evidence but fined Kim 5mil won (RM18,200) under a procedure where minor cases can be handled without going to court.
Kim admitted slapping the actress for the purpose of an “acting lesson” but denied the other allegations of wrongdoing.