South Korea Submits Park Chan-wook’s ‘Decision to Leave’ For Best International Feature Film Oscar Category

Park Chan-wook - Lionel Hahn

South Korea has selected director Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave as its national contender in the International Feature Film section of the Academy Awards. The film had its world premiere in competition at Cannes. The announcement of the decision was made on Thursday evening by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

Starring South Korean actor Park Hae-il and Chinese actress Tang Wei, the film tells the story of a detective investigating a man's death in the mountains who ends up meeting and developing feelings for the dead man's mysterious wife in the course of his journey.

The film was released in Korean theaters on June 29, 2022, and grossed $14.2 million. In North America, the film is scheduled to play at the Toronto festival in September and the New York Film Festival in October, ahead of a commercial release through Mubi, penciled in for Oct. 14.

The international film contenders will next be shortlisted to the final five Oscar nominees in the category on Jan. 24, 2023. The 95th Academy Awards ceremony is currently scheduled to take place on March 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.