::: 40th Sitges – Park Chan-wook Speaks on Bakjwi and The Snow Piercer (& 18 wallpaper images of him)
Yes this was a farce in doing what was essentially a surprise roundtable interview with Park Chan-wook (originally it was a one on one) but even by most press junket/roundtable interview standards, it really took the cake as the worst and most ridiculous one I’ve ever been a part of. I really wish a rep outside of the fest hadn’t been handling all the interviews for Park for this but such was the case. If the festival staff person had been handling it there wouldn’t have been a single issue or problem with it. Life offers up plenty of curve balls and surprise turns each day and this was certainly one where I felt I was part of a circus than something organized. With all things said it was a complete blast to at least speak to Park Chan-wook however briefly and hopefully next time things will work out better. The story of how everything went I know find incredibly funny. There really hasn’t been another interview I’ve ever done where I felt compelled to write about any of the behind the scenes stuff that typically goes on. The part on getting the interview, logistics of then setting it up and then it taking place. Everything typically always goes smoothly as I stay completely away from the roundtable/junket stuff (I’m open to make exceptions depending on the circumstances of course).
Overall I thought having been around Park Chan-wook here and there throughout Sitges this year he seems like a huge cinephile and despite everything that has happened with him he seems incredibly warm and friendly (though perhaps incredibly guarded as well). Having the cinephile bond with someone is an instant in as we are all brothers and sisters in our love of the cinema and our gushing and passion for seeing and talking about it.
