By Xu Aiying
Photos = Warner Bros. Korea
Video = Warner Bros.' official YouTube channel

"I've known a lot about Korea mainly through the cinema that we've seen and television or streaming. I'm really struck by how cinema-literate the Korean audiences are."

George Miller, director of the forthcoming post-apocalyptic action movie "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," on April 15 said this at a news conference for his film at the multiplex CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District. The Australian was also on his first visit to the country.

The director is a cinematic luminary through works such as the "Mad Max" and "Happy Feet" series. His film "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015) won six Academy Awards, a record for an action movie.

Miller cited film festivals as the reason for Korea's high cinema quality. "I understand that in Korea, you have more film festivals than in any other place in the world," he said. "What's really interesting to me is how that's given rise to so many interesting and very accomplished filmmakers. That was really exciting for me to be here."

Earlier this month, the rough cut of the latest Furiosa film was released at CinemaCon 2024, a film industry exhibition, in Las Vegas. 

On why he visited Korea first after the event, the director said, "Warner Brothers, who is distributing this film and has distributed most of our films for the last 45 years, said Korea is so important."

"In two days' time, I go back to Sydney and we finish the final mix of the film and put the film, the sound and the picture together for the final time."

The day before the news conference on April 14, Miller had a Q&A with "Parasite" director Bong Joon-ho and previewed parts of Miller's new film.

Calling himself a "big fan" of the Mad Max series, Bong said, "The movie is so overwhelmingly thrilling that I think watching these scenes with the director is truly the most cinematic of cinematic excitement."

"I was completely captivated by the endless running, speed and action of 'Mad Max 2' (aka "The Road Warrior"), something that often came to mind when I was filming 'Snowpiercer,'" he added. "I don't think anyone portrays energy like this better than director Miller."

Miller said he watched parts of Bong's sci-fi thriller "Mickey 17," slated for release next year in January, at CinemaCon and that when he watched it, he thought Bong "did it again." Film plots need new subject matter and worlds, the Australian added, calling Bong always "fresh and creative" in that aspect.

"Mad Max: Furiosa" is about Furiosa (played by Anya Taylor-Joy), who risks life and limb to return home after being cruelly thrust into a dystopian world 45 years after the collapse of civilization. It will be screened on May 14 in the non-competition category at the Cannes Film Festival before its global release.

xuaiy@korea.kr