South Korean film director, screenwriter and actor Park Jung-bum (born in 1976) was one of two winners of the illustrious award of Jury Grand Prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards for Alive (Sanda).

Written and directed by Jung-bum, he also plays the protagonist role in the film. Having received critical acclaim in 2011 with his directorial debut Journals of Musan, Jung-bum’s second effort shows no signs of second-movie syndrome.

This powerful chronicle of a common labourer’s struggle for survival, Alive is a riveting and visually appealing masterpiece, despite its lengthy runtime of three hours.

The epic struggle unfolding in Alive is a reflection of the production process of the film itself. Jung-bum plays a man whose mission it is to convert a rubble-strewn house into a functional family home.

What makes Alive such an impressive piece is its simplicity. Jung-chul (played by Park) is a no-nonsense, small-town worker who wants nothing more than a secure future for his family. The film’s technical aspects greatly assist in giving the characters the environment to blossom. With the use of varied designs of interiors, Park was able to provide a subtle backdrop to all the respective characters’ personalities.

Certainly not the last pinnacle of his budding career, Alive has won multiple industry awards, including the New Currents Award and FIPRESCI Award at the Busan International Film Festival, Golden Star at the Marrakech International Film Festival, Tiger Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Grand Prize and Young Critics Award at the Pesaro International Film Festival, Jury Prize at the Deauville Asian Film Festival – a total of 17 awards at major film festivals around the world since it premiered at the Busan International Film Festival in 2010.