Park Chan-wook film No Other Choice opens in five US cities ahead of national release

Courtesy of Neon

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - Director Park Chan-wook's latest feature, "No Other Choice," opened in a limited release in five United States cities on December 25.

Neon, the film's U.S. distributor, announced the Christmas Day opening via its website and social media channels. The film is currently screening in Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. According to the distributor, the release will expand nationwide in January.

The film stars Lee Byung-hun as Man-su, a man who is suddenly laid off after 25 years of service at the same company. The plot follows his increasingly desperate and competitive efforts to secure a new position.

Since its debut at the Venice International Film Festival, the film has gained significant traction on the international awards circuit. It won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Park Chan-wook was named Best Director at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain.

The film currently holds a 99 percent critic score on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. It has also earned three Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language, and Best Actor for Lee Byung-hun.

On December 16, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences included "No Other Choice" on the shortlist of 15 candidates for the Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming Oscars. The film is the South Korean director's first project since the 2022 romantic thriller "Decision to Leave."

Park Sae-jin Reporter swatchsjp@ajunews.com

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