“Paper Flower,” which stars veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki, received the Platinum Remi Award and Best Actor Award at the 53rd WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, according to film production company Road Pictures on Friday.

Ahn became the first Korean actor to receive an award at the film fest.

“Ahn was able to provide a very nuanced yet profound portrayal of his character’s deepest feelings with great clarity, empathy and dignity,” the judges evaluated.

The Platinum Remi Award is equivalent to Best Foreign Language Film.

“Paper Flower” centers on a mortician (played by Ahn) who regains the hope to live on while taking care of his son who has been paralyzed from the waist down.

The WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival is currently the only film event in the United States to be hosted after the coronavirus pandemic hit the country. For safety reasons, the festival was conducted entirely online.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]