Kim Min-hee Hong Sang-soo Locarno Awards: Duo Claims Top Honors for ‘Nowhere to Lay My Eyes’
South Korean director Hong Sang-soo and actor Kim Min-hee achieved a historic double victory at the 79th Locarno Film Festival in Locarno, Switzerland.
At the awards ceremony held on August 15, 2026, Hong Sang-soo earned the Pardo for Best Direction, while Kim Min-hee was awarded the Pardo for Best Performance for their 35th feature collaboration, “Nowhere to Lay My Eyes” (Korean title: Nunduldega eomne).
Kim Min-hee Hong Sang-soo Locarno Awards: Landmark Achievements in Switzerland
The triumph marks the second time both artists have claimed the same premier awards at the prestigious Swiss festival.
| Award Category | Recipient & Project Details |
| Pardo for Best Direction | Hong Sang-soo (Nowhere to Lay My Eyes) |
| Pardo for Best Performance | Kim Min-hee (Nowhere to Lay My Eyes) |
| Festival Edition | 79th Locarno Film Festival (Concorso Internazionale) |
| Film Feature Number | 35th Feature Film by Hong Sang-soo |
| Korean Release Date | Scheduled for late 2026 |
Hong previously won Best Direction for “Our Sunhi” in 2013 and the top Golden Leopard prize for “Right Now, Wrong Then” in 2015. Meanwhile, Kim Min-hee previously claimed the Best Performance award in 2024 for her role in Hong’s “By the Stream”.
Emotional Acceptance Speech and Personal Highlights
During her acceptance speech, Kim Min-hee expressed her gratitude to the director while also sharing heartfelt words about her child.
“I am deeply grateful to the director for making such a beautifully poetic movie. From now on, I will act with nothing but a heart full of true love.”
— Kim Min-hee during her Locarno acceptance speech
[Locarno Film Festival Milestones for Hong & Kim]
├── 2013: Hong Sang-soo wins Best Direction ("Our Sunhi")
├── 2015: "Right Now, Wrong Then" wins Golden Leopard Top Prize
├── 2024: Kim Min-hee wins Best Performance ("By the Stream")
└── 2026: Hong & Kim win Best Direction & Best Performance ("Nowhere to Lay My Eyes")
Plot Overview of ‘Nowhere to Lay My Eyes’
The 72-minute drama follows Sang-hee (played by Kim Min-hee), an experimental filmmaker who travels to Jeju Island with her younger brother to visit her estranged mother after a decade apart.
With the Kim Min-hee Hong Sang-soo Locarno Awards success generating international acclaim, “Nowhere to Lay My Eyes” is scheduled to premiere in Korean theaters later this year.
