[Busan=Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] "I believe creativity is creativity."

Director Zhang Yimou, a world-renowned master and jury president of the Competition Section at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), expressed the view that the freedom of creators and the diverse interpretations of audiences must be respected regarding the controversy surrounding the creative process and expression in films based on historical facts.

At a press conference for the Competition Jury of the 31st Busan International Film Festival held on the 7th at BIFF Hill in the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan, Director Zhang Yimou responded to a question about the responsibility and principles films should uphold between historical facts and creative freedom by saying, “It is difficult to express the relationship between historical facts and creativity in a single sentence or to find an answer in a short amount of time.”

The recent film *The Assassin(s)*, which is based on the assassination of the late First Lady Yuk Young-soo, has faced allegations of historical distortion. Some have claimed that the film portrays former President Park Chung-hee as the mastermind behind the assassination.

Director Zhang Yimou said, “I haven’t seen that film, but I’ve heard about it,” adding, “I believe art is art. There are cases where it isn’t necessarily based on truth and facts.” He also noted, “In the film industry, we often say, ‘Be rooted in life, but transcend it.’”

He also pointed out that even historical facts can be interpreted differently depending on one’s perspective. “I think there can be debate over whether what is called ‘historical truth’ is truly the truth in and of itself,” he said, adding, “This is what makes film so interesting.”

He continued, “This is something to consider while respecting creators,” explaining, “I believe history is about using the medium of art to convey stories from the distant past to people today.”

This implies that diverse opinions may emerge as history is conveyed to contemporary audiences through the medium of film. Director Zhang Yimou remarked, “History comes to us today in the form of film,” adding, “When a film is screened, everyone’s opinions may differ, and people may not agree. I believe this is the very charm of cinema.”

Director Zhang Yimou is serving as the jury president for the competition section at this year’s Busan International Film Festival. A master filmmaker who has swept all the major awards at the world’s three major film festivals—winning the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, and the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival—Zhang Yimou is leading the judging of the 13 films invited to this year’s competition section.

The jury includes South Korean director Jeong Ju-ri and actress Choi Hee-seo; Chinese director Bi Gan; Kazakhstani actress Samal Yeslamova; Japanese director Kei Ishikawa; and Vietnamese producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival will be held throughout Busan until the 15th at venues including the Busan Cinema Center, CGV Centum City, Lotte Cinema Centum City, the Korean Film Council’s Standard Screening Room, the Sohyang Theater Woori Bank Hall, and the Busan Viewers’ Media Center Public Hall.