South Korean filmmaker Jang Jae-hyun’s supernatural thriller Exhuma has won the Special Jury Award at the 57th Sitges Film Festival in Spain, as announced by the film’s local distributor, Showbox, on Tuesday. The prestigious festival, which has been a major platform for celebrating fantasy and horror genres since 1968, honored the film during its latest edition.

Starring acclaimed actors Choi Min-sik and Kim Go-Eun, Exhuma was originally released in South Korea in February and quickly became a massive hit, drawing nearly 12 million viewers. The film's compelling mix of occult themes and gripping suspense captivated both domestic audiences and international critics.

Exhuma tells the chilling story of two shamans, a feng shui expert, and a mortician who unite to unravel a series of mysterious events plaguing a wealthy family living in the United States. Their investigation leads them to exhume the grave of the family’s ancestor in a remote Korean village, setting off a chain of supernatural occurrences that test their skills and beliefs.

The recognition at Sitges highlights the global appeal of Exhuma and further establishes Jang Jae-Hyun as a visionary director in the supernatural thriller genre. The film's success at both the box office and film festivals underscores the growing international interest in South Korean horror and thriller cinema.

In other news from the Sitges Film Festival, Nam Dong-hyub’s horror-comedy Handsome Guys took home the People’s Choice Award. The film, which features veteran actors Lee Sung-min and Lee Hee-jun, is a remake of the 2010 Canadian horror-comedy Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. It follows two men, Jae-Phil and Sang-gu, who move into a rural town and find themselves at the center of bizarre events that spark both suspicion and humor from the locals and two police officers.

Handsome Guys, released in June, has garnered positive attention for its blend of comedy and horror, drawing in 1.7 million viewers in South Korea. The film ultimately climaxes when the two protagonists inadvertently awaken a powerful spirit that had been sealed in their basement, leading to a chaotic and thrilling conclusion.

Both Exhuma and Handsome Guys demonstrate the versatility and growing influence of South Korean filmmakers in the international genre film market, with each bringing a unique twist to the horror and supernatural narrative.

Sayart / Sharon Jung, guhuijeong784@gmail.com