Korean thriller 'Exhuma' bags Special Jury Award at Spain's Sitges Film Festival

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Korean thriller 'Exhuma' bags Special Jury Award at Spain's Sitges Film Festival

Published: 15 Oct. 2024, 15:53 Updated: 15 Oct. 2024, 17:41

KIM JI-YE
kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr

Still from occult film ″Exhuma″ [SHOWBOX]

Occult thriller film “Exhuma” has been awarded the Special Jury Award at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain, the film's local distributor Showbox said Tuesday.

The festival, renowned for celebrating the fantasy and horror genres since its inception in 1968, honored the film during its 57th edition.

Directed by Jang Jae-hyun, the film stars actors Choi Min-sik and Kim Go-eun.

The occult thriller was originally released in Korea on Feb. 22, where it became a massive success, attracting nearly 12 million moviegoers.

The film follows two shamans, a feng shui expert and a mortician, who join forces to investigate a string of mysterious occurrences affecting a wealthy family based in the United States. They embark on this journey by digging up the grave of the family's ancestor in a remote Korean village.

Another Korean film “Handsome Guys,” released on June 26, also took home an award, winning the festival’s People's Choice Award.

Still from horror comedy film ″Handsome Guys″ [NEW]

Directed by Nam Dong-hyub, the horror comedy film follows Jae-pil and Sang-gu, who move into a rural town and immediately catch the attention and suspicion of the locals and two police officers. Jae-pil is portrayed by actor Lee Sung-min and Sang-gu by Park Ji-hwan.

A remake of the 2010 Canadian horror-comedy film "Tucker & Dale vs. Evil," it sees the duo embroiled in a series of bizarre incidents, ultimately awakening a powerful spirit sealed in their basement. The film garnered 1.7 million viewers during its local release.

The film also topped the Vietnamese box office within a week of its premiere on Aug. 8 in the country.

BY KIM JI-YE, YONHAP [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]