By Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak
ANKARA (AA) - South Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk died of the novel coronavirus in Latvia, local media reported Friday.
He was 59 years old.
According to Latvian news portal DELFI, the Cannes, Venice and Berlin film festivals winner arrived in Latvia on Nov. 20 to buy a house in Jurmala and apply for a residence permit.
By Dec. 5, his friends were unable to reach him and worried because he did not attend the scheduled meeting, his Russian director friend Vitalijs Manskis told DELFI.
Manski said it was confirmed that the director died in the hospital tonight from COVID-19.
According to DELFI, Kim Ki-duk's death has also been confirmed by his interpreter Darya Krutov.
Ki-duk received Golden Lion at 69th Venice International Film Festival for Pietà, Silver Lion for Best Director at 61st Venice International Film Festival for 3-Iron, Silver bear for Best Director at 54th Berlin International Film Festival for Samaria and Un Certain Regard prize at 2011 Cannes Film Festival for Arirang.