Director Lee Chang-dong’s film “Burning” was named the best foreign language film of 2018 by the France Club Media Cine on Wednesday.

According to CGV Arthouse and the association on Friday, the Korean film took home the Best 2018 Foreign Language Film award among prominent nominees including “First Man,” “Shoplifters,” “The Guilty,” “Isle of Dogs” and “Phantom Thread.”

Earlier, “Burning” participated in the 71th Cannes Film Festival as the only Korean film officially invited to the event. The Korean movie received the FIPRESCI International Critics’ Prize and Vulcan Prize for the best film in the competition section in the event. The film was also awarded the best 2018 foreign language film award by the Toronto Film Critics Association.

“Burning” is also the first South Korean film to be shortlisted for the Foreign Language Film award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Academy award finalists will be announced Jan. 22.

The actors Steven Yeun and Yoo Ah-in won multiple prizes for their roles in the movie. Steven Yeun won two best supporting actor awards from the US National Society of Film Critics in January and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association last year. Meanwhile, the New York Times also named another actor in the movie, Yoo Ah-in, as one of the 12 best actors of 2018, the only Korean actor on the list.

By Kim Hye-soo (clairek@heraldcorp.com)