Korean drama ‘A Normal Family’ closes distribution deals ahead of Toronto premiere

South Korean drama A normal familydirected by Hur Jin-ho, has inked a number of international distribution deals ahead of its upcoming world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Based on just one showreel, Finecut, a major Korean sales company, sold the film in key territories including France and French-speaking Switzerland (Diaphana Distribution), Vietnam (Lumix Media Co.), and air-flight worldwide excluding South Korea and Taiwan (Encore Inflight Limited).

A normal family marks the third time Hur, a leading Korean auteur, will premiere a film in Toronto dangerous liaisons (2012) e April Snow (2005). A normal family is an adaptation of the bestselling Dutch novel by Herman Koch, Dinnerwhich has been translated into English, French, Spanish, Chinese and Portuguese.

A normal family follows the intense dilemma of two families dealing with a crime committed by their children, leading to a shocking and tongue-in-cheek ending. On the Kyung-gu (recently seen in Kill Boksoon on Netflix) portrays an older brother who is a materialistic lawyer, while Jang Dong-gun (Friend) plays the morally savvy pediatrician younger brother. Kim Hee-ae (Queenmaker) and Claudia Kim (The Avengers: Age of Ultron) respectively portray the brothers’ wives.

“A drama about privilege, nepotism and moral decline, A normal family explores the darker side of normality in a transglobal story of binding blood ties that ultimately disintegrate the lives of its protagonists,” says Giovanna Fulvi, one of the Toronto-based international programmers. “Hur Jin-ho’s solid direction and flawless performances from the A-list cast add weight and subtlety to this dysfunctional story about a family’s ‘normal’ life, in what is the biggest and most powerful adaptation of Herman Koch’s bestseller, Dinner.“

Produced by Hive Media Corp, A normal family it is currently in post-production. It will premiere in the special presentations section of TIFF, which runs from 7 to 17 September.