Okja will close SFF, fresh from Cannes Controversy over NETFLIX Titles
The 64th Sydney Film Festival will close withthe Australian premiere of Okja along with 10 films who screened in Cannes. Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s (Snowpiercer) Okja, reunites with Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal and An Seo-hyun (Netflix movie which stirred controversy in Cannes)
A young girl fights to save her best friend, a gigantic animal named Okja, in The great Korean director Bong Joon-ho's Cannes Competition contender starring Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal and An Seo-hyun.
Bong Joon-ho makes his second English language film with Okja, starring Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, An Seo-hyun, Daniel Henshall and Steven Yeun.
For 10 years, Mija (An) has cared for her best friend, a ‘Super Pig' named Okja, in the mountains of South Korea. The two share an intensely close bond, but then Dr Johnny Wilcox (Gyllenhaal) arrives to take Okja to New York for a Super Pig contest. Okja is actually owned by the multi-national Mirando Corporation, run by self-promoting CEO Lucy Mirando (Swinton). Mija is determined to save her kidnapped friend at all costs, and is joined by the Animal Liberation Front led by Jay (Dano), an organisation determined to uncover Mirando's true activities.
Director Bong is known for masterfully fusing genre elements with social critique in hit films like Memories of Murder (SFF 2004), The Host, Mother (SFF 2015) and Snowpiercer (SFF 2014). With Okja he combines humour, drama, science fiction and high-octane action to tell a powerful story of great, lingering impact.
Festival guest: Bong Joon-ho, Steven Yeun and Daniel Henshall
Closing Night Gala
Our Closing Night festivities on Sunday 18 June, held once more at the grand State Theatre, will feature an awards ceremony including presentations for the Documentary Foundation Award and the Dendy Awards for Australia Short Films. Celebrating its tenth year, the prestigious Sydney Film Prize will once again be awarded to the film judged the best among the Official Competition, a prize of $60,000. The winner will join titles like Asghar Farhardi’s Oscar winning A Separation, Steve McQueen’s haunting Hunger, and last year’s winner, the controversial Brazilian drama Aquarius.
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