The movie 'Exorcism' (directed by Jang Jae-hyun) has captivated the Spanish film industry. Showbox announced on the 15th that "'Exorcism' has been honored with the Special Jury Prize in the competition section of the 57th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival." This proves the unceasing popularity of Korean occult films.

'Exorcism' was showcased to international audiences in the official competition section of the 57th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival held in Spain from the 3rd to the 13th (local time). This festival is one of the world's top three fantastic film festivals.

Thanks to the support of local audiences, 'Exorcism' had additional screenings. It not only became one of the most popular films but also won the Special Jury Prize. Even nine months after its release, it continued to receive rave reviews.

The film received the spotlight right from the start. Prior to its release, it held its world premiere in the Forum section of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and has since received numerous invitations from prestigious film festivals overseas.

Domestically, it was released on February 22nd and recorded approximately 11.91 million viewers, becoming the first film of the year to surpass 10 million viewers. It was praised for its intense genre appeal, the superb acting of actors representing Korea, and its directing ability.

It even led to a phenomenon of success overseas. It ranked as the highest-grossing Korean film upon release in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia. It reached second place in Australia, Thailand, and India, and third place in North America.

The record for highest-grossing local release Korean film 1.

'Exorcism' is set to be released in Japan on the 18th. The momentum of its overseas success does not seem to be waning in the second half of the year. Director Jang Jae-hyun and actors Choi Min-sik and Kim Go-eun recently visited Japan to attend official events.

<Photo courtesy of Showbox>