Cannes prize winner 'Thirst' to hit U.S. cinemas next month

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- "Thirst," a South Korean film that received this year's
Cannes Jury Prize, will be released in the United States next month amid high
anticipation there, the movie's local promoter said Tuesday.
The film has been picked up by Hollywood's Focus Features, which plans theatrical
releases in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco on July 31, Korean promoter
All That Cinema said in a press release.
The American distributor, which co-produced "Thirst" with South Korea's Moho Film
in the first such collaboration for a domestic movie, plans to expand releases to
a maximum of 80 theaters across the United States depending on audience reaction.

"Thirst," the newest creation by South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, grabbed the
third-highest award at the Cannes film festival last week. Jurors at the world's
largest film contest praised the movie as a "unique, intent noir film." It was
the second time for Park to be honored at Cannes following his Grand Jury Prize
win in 2004 with "Oldboy."
Featuring a Catholic priest who begins to question moral and religious boundaries
after a strange blood transfusion turns him into a vampire, the film drew
strongly mixed reactions at home, drawing some 2.2 million viewers since hitting
local screens on April 30.
"Thirst" will also be released in more than 10 countries including France,
Greece, Brazil and Japan.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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