A South Korean actress has accused the Berlin film festival organisers of hypocrisy for inviting a director who assaulted her to this year’s event while promoting it as a forum to tackle abuse in the industry.
The actress, who has refused to be publicly identified, last year accused renowned Seoul director Kim Ki-duk of physical and sexual abuse, saying he beat her and forced her into unscripted, unwanted sex and nude scenes while shooting his 2013 film Moebius.
Kim, 57, is one of South Korea’s top directors whose awards include Berlin’s Silver Bear for Samaritan Girl in 2004 and the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for Pieta in 2012.
His latest work Human, Space, Time and Human will have its world premiere in the Panorama Special section of this year’s Berlinale, which began Thursday.
“I find the decision to invite Kim deeply sad and extremely hypocritical,” the actress said, adding she had been left “devastated” by the experience.
“Kim admitted and was found guilty of physically assaulting me on the film set. Yet, the Berlinale rolled out a red carpet to him while boasting about their support for the #MeToo movement,” she said.
Berlinale chief Dieter Kosslick said this year’s festival would shine a light on sexual misconduct and serve as a “forum” to bring “concrete changes” to the treatment of women in the film industry.
Kosslick said Tuesday he had disqualified some productions from the festival because a director, screenwriter or star was facing credible sexual misconduct allegations.
The actress spoke out in December about the abuse she suffered at Kim’s hands on the set of the 2013 film, where she was eventually replaced by another actress.
“One day, Kim said ‘I’ll set your emotion’ and suddenly slapped my face really hard three times in a row in front of everybody, before turning the camera towards me and filming,” she said then.
Seoul prosecutors dropped sexual abuse charges citing a lack of evidence but fined Kim 5 million won ($4,600) under a procedure where minor cases can be handled without going to court.
Kosslick said that the Berlinale was aware of the accusations against Kim, and that he had been convicted and fined, but that the sexual harassment allegations had been dismissed for lack of evidence.
