If you thought winning the Silver Lion at Venice was enough for director Lee Chang-dong, think again! The unstoppable momentum of Possible Love (가능한 사랑) is rolling right along, with Lee making history as the first-ever South Korean director to win the Ebert Director’s Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Following its massive success in Italy, the film jetted over to Canada for its North American premiere at the 51st TIFF, turning heads, filling up a massive 1,721-seat theater at the Princess of Wales Theatre, and racking up even more hardware.
A 23-Year Reunion and a Standing Ovation
During the festival’s Tribute Awards gala at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, none other than Sol Kyung-gu stepped up as the presenter. For those keeping score, this marked a legendary 23-year reunion between the actor and director since their iconic work on Peppermint Candy and Oasis. As Lee took the stage, the crowd erupted into a heartfelt standing ovation.
In his acceptance speech, Lee delivered a thoughtful reflection on cinema in the age of algorithms:
“I’ve always believed film is the ultimate medium for understanding humanity, yet the more films I make, the more I realize how deeply incomprehensible human beings truly are,” Lee shared. “In an era where AI without a self is replacing human spaces, and humans themselves seem to be losing their identities, I believe cinema must keep talking about the parts of us we cannot fully grasp. I will accept this award—given in the name of Roger Ebert—as encouragement to keep making those kinds of films.”
Star-Studded North American Premiere & Q&A
The next day, the powerhouse trio of Sol Kyung-gu, Jo In-sung, and Jo여정 (Jo Yeo-jeong) joined the director on the red carpet to greet local fans. After packing out the 1,721-seat house, the cast and crew stuck around for a lively 25-minute Q&A session following the credits.
The stars shared some fun behind-the-scenes insights:
- Sol Kyung-gu joked about the long gap between collaborations: “It took 23 years to reunite with the director after Oasis. He was just as meticulous as ever, and I found myself trying to channel my younger self from two decades ago. While his sets used to feel super solemn and strict back in the day, having co-stars Jo In-sung and Jo Yeo-jeong around this time made the whole experience incredibly fun and touching.”
- Jo In-sung talked about tackling his role as Sang-woo: “I wanted to reinterpret the image of a wealthy capitalist or chaebol through a fresh lens. Since there were no rigid answers, the director and I talked constantly on set, which actually gave me a liberating sense of freedom in my acting.”
- Jo Yeo-jeong admitted to feeling a bit of pressure: “Before filming, the director told me that my character Yeji might represent his own perspective as a filmmaker, which felt like a heavy crown! But he created such a natural environment on set that I could effortlessly melt into the role.”
The Journey Ahead
With a shiny Venice Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, a fresh TIFF Ebert Director’s Award under its belt, and global critics raving about its sharp look at modern class divides and human desire, Possible Love is gearing up for its home stretch.
The film is hitting South Korean theaters on September 23, followed by its global Netflix drop on November 6. If this awards-season train keeps chugging, you’re definitely going to want to catch it before everyone starts talking about it at the Oscars!
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