Michelle Yeoh attends Busan film festival, receives Asian Filmmaker award
In short
Actor Michelle Yeoh visited the Busan International Film Festival, receiving the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award at the opening ceremony and speaking at a press conference at the Busan Cinema Center on Oct 7. She said she and the festival had both travelled from Asia to the world, and discussed her new film “Our Grandmother Is the Cube King” and a wish to work with Korean directors.
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Actor Michelle Yeoh told a press conference at the Busan Cinema Center on Oct 7 that she and the Busan International Film Festival had both walked the same long road, saying that both started in Asia and went out to the world to share their films and culture. She was speaking during this year's festival, according to Yonhap. [ 2 ]
The previous day, at the festival's opening ceremony, she received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, given to film figures who have contributed to the development of the Asian film industry and culture, Yonhap reported. Yonhap said it was her first visit to Busan in 15 years, since “The Lady” in 2011. [ 2 ]
Yeoh, who was born in Malaysia and began her career in the Hong Kong film industry, appeared in “Yes, Madam” in 1985 and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” in 2000 before gaining global recognition, Yonhap reported. In 2023 she became the first Asian actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, for “Everything Everywhere All at Once”, a result she said still feels like a dream and which gave her the strength to go further. She said the biggest shock on first going to Hollywood was learning that she was seen as a minority, that the roles offered were few and mostly based on stereotypes, and that she gradually widened her range through films including “Die Another Day” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. [ 2 ]
Yeoh stars in and executive produces the festival's gala presentation “Our Grandmother Is the Cube King”, directed by Bai Xue, Yonhap reported. She described the film as the story of a woman who loses her home to a fraud and meets a young former Rubik's cube world champion, and said its message is that opportunities can come at any age and that people should never give up, as well as that “my life is in my hands”. [ 2 ]
She also said she is looking forward to working with director Lee Chang-dong, mentioning his upcoming film, and would like to work with Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho, adding that she had worked with Jung Woo-sung on “Reign of Assassins” and likes Korean people, K-pop, Korean dramas and Korean food. The festival has organised a special programme of four Yeoh-selected films, titled “Michelle Yeoh: All Times, All Places”, Yonhap reported. [ 2 ]
Korean business outlets also reported her Busan visit, with the Korea Economic Daily quoting her on running from Asia to the world with the festival, and Kukmin Ilbo naming Fan Bingbing alongside her in its headline. The article text available for the Korea Economic Daily item, however, consisted of other film-industry stories rather than this event. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The festival gave its Asian Filmmaker of the Year award to an actor internationally known for Asian cinema, and built a retrospective programme around her work, which the documents present as a link between Asian film industries and global audiences. Yeoh also said she wants to work with Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho, which points to possible future Korean collaborations. The documents give no further basis for significance.
Key facts
- Michelle Yeoh held a press conference at the Busan Cinema Center on Oct 7 during the Busan International Film Festival. [ 2 ]
- She received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award at the festival's opening ceremony the previous day. [ 2 ]
- It was her first visit to the Busan festival in 15 years, since “The Lady” in 2011. [ 2 ]
- In 2023 she became the first Asian actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, for “Everything Everywhere All at Once”. [ 2 ]
- She stars in and executive produces “Our Grandmother Is the Cube King”, directed by Bai Xue, a gala presentation at this year's festival. [ 2 ]
- The festival is screening a special programme of four Yeoh-selected films, titled “Michelle Yeoh: All Times, All Places”. [ 2 ]
- She said she wants to work with Korean directors Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho. [ 2 ]
- Korean business outlets reported her Busan visit, one of them naming Fan Bingbing alongside her in its headline. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Michelle Yeoh attended the Busan International Film Festival and spoke at a press conference there. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- She received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award at the festival's opening ceremony. [ 2 ]
- She came to the festival for the first time in 15 years and is associated with a new film presented at the festival. [ 2 ]
Still unclear
- Whether actor Fan Bingbing also attended the Busan festival alongside Yeoh. Only the headline of document 1 names her, with no article text or detail, and no other document mentions her.
- What the Korea Economic Daily article contained besides its headline on Yeoh's visit. The article text available in document 3 consists of other film-industry stories rather than this event.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kukmin Ilbo publishes a headline report on Yeoh and Fan Bingbing visiting Busan. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap publishes its account of Yeoh's press conference at the Busan Cinema Center on Oct 7. [ 2 ]
- Korea Economic Daily publishes a headline report quoting Yeoh on running from Asia to the world with the festival. [ 3 ]