Like Anora, This 6-Year-Old Thriller Also Won the Palme d’Or and Best Picture Oscar!

In 2019, a South Korean film made on a modest budget of $15 million achieved unprecedented international success. “Parasite” is the seventh feature film directed by Bong Joon-ho, a key figure in South Korea’s new wave cinema alongside others like Park Chan-wook and Kim Jee-woon.

Almost filmed entirely in a single setting, “Parasite” tells the story of the Ki family, who come from humble beginnings. One by one, each family member manages to get employed by the Parks, a wealthy family living in a luxurious house. However, one evening, while the Parks are away, the Ki family encounters something unexpected that completely disrupts their newfound lifestyle…

Sweeping the Top Film Awards

Before “Parasite,” it had been over sixty years since a film had won both the Palme d’Or and the Oscar for Best Picture (“Marty” in 1955). This year, “Anora” achieved the same feat, making it only the fourth film in history to win these two prestigious awards (the fourth being “The Lost Weekend” by Billy Wilder, released in 1945).

Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece didn’t stop at just these two awards; “Parasite” also won the César for Best International Film, two BAFTA Awards, and accolades from the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards and the National Society of Film Critics.

The film also received widespread acclaim from audiences. “Parasite” holds a rating of 4.5 out of 5 from users on its AlloCiné page and had drawn nearly two million viewers to French cinemas.

Fans of Bong Joon-ho can now watch “Parasite” on Max. In addition, the streaming service from Warner Bros. is also offering two more of the South Korean director’s films: “Memories of Murder” (2003), based on a true crime story, and the monster movie “The Host” (2006).

Explore the list of films currently available on the platform!