[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] Director Lee Chang-dong’s film “Possible Love” has proven its artistic merit by becoming the first Korean film to win the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, and is now expected to expand its Oscar campaign with Netflix’s full support.

“Possible Love” won the Silver Lion, the Grand Jury Prize in the Competition Section, at the closing ceremony of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival held on the Lido Island in Venice, Italy, on the 12th (local time). It is the second-most prestigious award in the Competition Section, following the Golden Lion, the festival’s top prize. This marks the first time a Korean film has received the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.
“Possible Love” also received the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Prize, further affirming its artistic merit. Returning to the Venice Film Festival’s main competition—one of the world’s three major film festivals—with his first new film in eight years since “Burning,” and going on to win a major award, the director once again proved his status as a world-renowned master.
Following the director’s win, Kang Dong-han, VP of Korean Content at Netflix, stated, “Netflix will continue to serve as a long-term partner to the Korean film industry, working together to ensure that a diverse range of films are consistently produced and reach even more fans.”

Having lifted the trophy in Venice, *Possible Love* is now heading to Hollywood. Last month, the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) selected *Possible Love* as Korea’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.
Expectations for the Oscar race were evident even during the KOFIC selection process. The review noted the high level of interest from North American media and praised the fact that “Netflix’s dedicated awards team is preparing a campaign aimed at winning Best Picture.”
In fact, Netflix is expected to actively promote *Possible Love* in key Oscar categories. The U.S. film industry publication IndieWire reported, “Netflix plans to submit *Possible Love* not only for Best International Feature Film but also for major categories such as Best Actress, Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, and will launch a campaign accordingly.”
In particular, winning the Venice Film Festival Grand Jury Prize is expected to serve as a major boost, raising the profile of “Love” in the Oscar race. IndieWire even named “Love” a strong contender for an Oscar.
Netflix has not only launched an Oscar campaign for the film but has also begun introducing Director Lee Chang-dong’s previous works to international audiences. Targeting global subscribers who have developed an interest in Director Lee Chang-dong’s body of work following *Possible Love*, the platform is sequentially releasing his major films in various countries.
Director Lee Chang-dong’s *Green Fish* and *Secret Sunshine* have begun streaming in Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and New Zealand, while *Peppermint Candy* and *Oasis* are now available in Italy and Spain. *Poetry* and *Burning* are also scheduled for additional releases in Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Subtitles in six languages, including Korean and English, are provided to enhance accessibility for global audiences.

Netflix stated, “This decision stems from our efforts to expand the K-cinema fanbase among international Netflix members who have become interested in Director Lee Chang-dong’s body of work through *Possible Love*,” adding, “We will continue to support these outstanding works that represent the South Korean film industry so that they can be discovered and loved by audiences beyond the constraints of language, culture, time, and place.”
Since his debut with *Green Fish* in 1997, Director Lee Chang-dong has established himself as one of Korea’s leading auteur directors through films such as *Peppermint Candy*, *Oasis*, *Secret Sunshine*, *Poetry*, and *Burning*. His artistic merit has been consistently recognized at international film festivals, including the Best Director Award at the 2002 Venice Film Festival for *Oasis* and the Best Screenplay Award at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival for *Poetry*. The Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Venice Film Festival for *Possible Love* reaffirms that his cinematic vision remains relevant on the international stage even after more than 20 years.
At a time when the Korean film industry is struggling due to a decline in production and investment, the success of *Possible Love* holds significant industrial importance. A film industry insider stated, “It demonstrates the potential for auteur films—which cannot rely solely on domestic box office success—to expand their reach to international audiences by leveraging awards at international film festivals and support from global over-the-top (OTT) services.”
Starting with Venice, *Possible Love* continues its global tour, having been invited to major international film festivals around the world, including Toronto, New York, San Sebastián, Zurich, Vancouver, and Busan. Attention is now focused on whether the film’s run, which began in Venice, will extend to competition in major Oscar categories.
“Possible Love” tells the story of two couples—Ho-seok (played by Seol Kyung-gu), a laid-off worker, and his wife Mi-ok (played by Jeon Do-yeon), as well as documentary director Ye-ji (played by Jo Yeo-jeong) and her husband Sang-woo (played by Jo In-sung)—who meet to produce a documentary and come face-to-face with each other’s different lives and hidden desires.
Following its domestic theatrical release on the 23rd, the film is set to open sequentially in Australia and New Zealand on the 22nd of next month, and in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, and Japan on the 23rd. It will be released worldwide on Netflix on November 6.