South Korean film ‘Pieta’ wins Venice top prize

From left, actress Cho Min-soo, director Kim Ki-duk, and actor Lee Jung-Jin arrive for the premiere of the movie ‘Pieta’ at the 69th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Tuesday, September 4, 2012. AP/Domenico Stinellis

VENICE, Italy— South Korean director Kim Ki-duk’s shocking drama “Pieta” has won the Golden Lion for best film at the 69th Venice Film Festival.

Described by Agence France-Presse as a morality tale, “Pieta” gave Kim the honor of beating cult directors Terrence Malick and Brian De Palma.

Kim said his emotionally intense film was intended as a condemnation of “extreme capitalism”.

“Pieta” follows a young loan shark as he goes about his business maiming debtors to collect insurance money. His ruthless course is interrupted by a stranger who claims to be his mother — and his acceptance of her opens in him a sense of pity for his former victims.

The Silver Lion for best director went to Paul Thomas Anderson for “The Master,” inspired by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The film’s stars, Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman, shared the prize for best actor during the ceremony Saturday.

Pheonix plays an alcoholic World War II veteran who becomes a disciple to the charismatic Hoffman, playing the leader of a nascent movement called “The Cause” in Anderson’s beautifully shot movie set in the 1950s.

The best actress award went to Israeli actress Hadas Yaron, for her role in “Fill the Void.”