Ryu Seong Hie Honored with the Inaugural ‘Camellia Award’ at the Busan International Film Festival

Ryu Seong Hie, a distinguished Korean Production Designer, was honored with the inaugural ‘Camellia Award’ for her significant contributions in the film industry at the 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). The ‘Camellia Award’ has been introduced this year at the BIFF to recognize filmmakers and industry professionals who have been instrumental in elevating the stature of women in this field. Ryu Seong Hie, has not only made a name for herself in a male-dominated field, but she has also opened doors for other women in the field, demonstrating that women are capable of producing visually striking designs for genre movies.

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A special talk session titled ‘The Cinematic Life of Ryu Seong Hie, Winner of the Camellia Award’ honoring her was held at BIFF on October 5 at Cinematheque venue at the Busan Cinema Center. During the talk session Ryu said, “The establishment of this award for female filmmakers at this moment signifies not only support for women but also a new opportunity for the entire film industry to take a fresh leap forward and embrace new perspectives, and I feel truly honored to receive it.”

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Ryu talked at length about the challenges she had to face in the early days to establish herself in this industry which was predominantly a male domain. She reminisced about how when she started her career in film, there was only one female art director. She said that she often communicated her desire to work on genre films and pursued good opportunities with her portfolios, but was disheartened with the responses. She added that she was repeatedly told that they would reach out to her if they had any romance or melodrama project. Ryu claims that she eventually took the risk after waiting a year and a half for the ideal project to launch her career. She states, “There was nothing wrong with starting with a melodrama or romance film, but I feared that once I started doing those projects, I would be continuously seen as someone (limited to those genres). Because it was easy for a stereotype to remain fixed at the time. Also, it was a time when even if a woman succeeded with a project, it was often seen as a coincidence. So, it was inevitable to have to prove oneself repeatedly during that period.”

For this reason, Ryu made a vow to herself to continue working on genre films for the next ten years to prove her worth in the industry. Staying true to her promise, Ryu accomplished excellence in her work starting with her debut, ‘Flower Island’ in 2001, and continued until 2010, when she returned to the romance genre with ‘Late Autumn.’

During this talk, Ryu cited David Lynch’s ‘The Elephant Man’(1980) as the movie that sparked her interest to become a production designer. She said that this was the first film that transformed her view of cinema as an art form. She explains, “It was my first time to take an interest in the intentions of the director and the people involved in a film. It made me realize what kind of director creates these films, why the people involved are so passionate about their work and how films communicate with audiences and touch their soul.”

Korean screenwriter Chung Seo Kyung also made an appearance in this talk session where she congratulated Ryu and gave an insight into her experiences of working with her. Chung and Ryu have collaborated on various projects including ‘The Handmaiden,’ ‘I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK,’ ‘Decision To Leave,’ and ‘Little Women.’

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The Camellia Award was chosen by BIFF in partnership with the designer brand Chanel, which resonates with a phrase that Ryu frequently reflects on, “Don’t spend time beating on a wall hoping to transform it into a door.” She added, “I humbly suggest that instead of focusing all your energy on breaking down barriers, I believe it would be more meaningful to put more focus on how to transform those barriers into opportunities or doors for yourself.” 

She further quoted, “I’ve always seen myself as someone who moves forward at a slower pace, rather than being naturally gifted or exceptionally talented. So, I set long-term goals and steadily work toward them, trusting that one day I’ll reach a point of excellence. I believe that every one of us, including me, is in the middle of that process. So, for me, I’m taking one step at a time. I also think I still have a very long way to go, but I will continue moving forward wholeheartedly.”

Ryu, born in 1968, is the first recipient of this award and is one of the most acclaimed production designers in Korea. Her most famous works include art and set designs of ‘Memories of Murder (2003),’ ‘Oldboy (2003),’ ‘The Host (2006),’ ‘Thirst (2009),’ ‘The Front Line (2011),’ ‘Ode to My Father (2014),’ ‘Assassination (2015),’ ‘Decision to Leave (2022)’ and others. In 2016, Ryu became the first Korean to win the Vulcan Award of the Technical Artist at the Cannes Film Festival for her work in the film ‘The Handmaiden.’

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Written By – Jasleen Kaur

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