[Official] Yeom Hye-ran’s Powerhouse Performance Wins Big! ‘My Name Is’ Takes Home Audience Award at Udine Far East Film Festival

The heartwarming human drama ‘My Name Is’ (directed by Jung Ji-young and produced by Let’s Film and Aura Pictures) has achieved a major victory, winning the Audience Award at the 28th Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy!

Invited to the competition section of the festival which kicked off on the 24th of last month in Udine, Northern Italy, ‘My Name Is’ secured the win. This award follows the thunderous standing ovation the film received during its official screening at the Nuovo Giovanni Theater on the 29th.

This Audience Award is especially meaningful as it was decided by the votes of local and international movie fans who attended the festival. It serves as clear evidence that the film successfully bridged language and cultural gaps to create a deep, universal resonance, even while tackling the painful history of the April 3 incident in Jeju in 1949.

Festival Director Sabrina Barchetti previously praised the film’s artistic quality, stating, “Based on actual events, its balanced tone will allow audiences worldwide to empathize.” The festival also hailed it as a “masterpiece that connects current and past violence, linking personal suffering to the larger historical trauma of the Jeju 4.3 massacre,” while showering praise on leads Shin Woo-bin and Yeom Hye-ran for their overwhelming performances as Young-ok and Jung-soon.

The Audience Award perfectly proves that the critical acclaim for the film truly hit home with the viewers.

This wonderful news from Udine is expected to create an explosive synergy with the touching heat of the ‘430-person relay screening’ currently spreading like wildfire across Korean theaters.

The ‘430-person relay screening’ began with the first viewing by President Lee Jae-myung and his wife. Since then, it has become a full-blown syndrome, with citizens voluntarily joining the movement, including a high school senior who donated their allowance and Zainichi Korean supporters longing for their homeland.

Following its official invitation to the Forum section of this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, this win at an overseas festival further proves the film’s high quality and historical value. It is expected to provide strong momentum for a growing wave of solidarity.

‘My Name Is’ is a generational mystery drama about an 18-year-old boy who wants to discard a name that doesn’t suit him, his mother (eomeong) who insists on protecting that name, and their journey to uncover a promise made 50 years ago. The film stars Yeom Hye-ran, Shin Woo-bin, Choi Jun-woo, and Park Ji-bin, and is helmed by director Jung Ji-young, known for ‘Broken Arrow’, ‘Namyoung-dong 1985’, and ‘The Boys’.