Chaotic grace: Na Hong-jin captivates New York with 'Hope'

Long celebrated as one of East Asia’s most uncompromising genre purveyors, Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin arrived at Lincoln Center this week to do what he does best: leave audiences entirely unnerved and thoroughly exhilarated.

At the 25th New York Asian Film Festival, Na’s latest cinematic juggernaut, "Hope," held its North American premiere as the festival’s centerpiece selection.

The film — a sprawling, claustrophobic thriller set in Hopohang, an isolated port town near the demilitarized zone, where local police officer Beom-seok investigates reports of a tiger, only to confront an unexplainable threat — has dominated Korea's domestic box office since its release.

Following the screening Monday, Na was presented with the Daniel A.

Craft Award for Excellence in Action Cinema, a prestigious honor recognizing creators who push the physical architecture of film forward.

The director, celebrating his birthday on the night of the premiere, was serenaded by the audience before accepting the prize.

"I find myself celebrating my birthday for a third consecutive day — before I left, ...