People: Directors On the Festival Circuit

After stirring audience nerves last year with The Isle, the enfant terrible of the new Korean cinema returns to Venice 2001 with Address Unknown, exploring the torments sown by US military presence in Korea, from anti-crossbred racism to GI sexual dejection. Address Unknown is Kim Ki-duk’s most personal film and heralds the director’s new-found maturity.

With his latest film Baran, Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi has won the top prize for a third time at the Montreal World Film Festival, making him the indisputable enfant chéri of the fest. He spoke to filmfestivals.com the day before the jury announcement, at a time when he felt quite pessimistic about his chances

The great and prolific Amos Gitai may be among the proudest of filmmakers since he's presenting at Venice 2001 two brand new films that he has directed. Eden and Wadi: Grand Canyon are breathtaking, epoch-spanning films exploring the lives behind the headlines of world events.

Brian Helgeland, the writer/director of the medieval action film A Knight's Tale, won an Academy Award for his screenplay of L.A. Confidential and directed the Mel Gibson film Payback (which he says was NOT his cut). Filmfestivals.com caught up with the acclaimed helmer at Deauville 2001.