'Parasite' director says new film highlights strength of ordinary people

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho said Thursday his new film highlights the resilience of ordinary people against the powerful in a time of creeping authoritarianism at home and abroad. Starring British actor Robert Pattinson in the title role, "Mickey 17" told of a young volunteer in a futuristic cloning programme that allows him to die over and over again.

Soundbite said  Mark Ruffalo, Actor in "Mickey 17" "There's purposely a little bit of a lot of different people in him [Kenneth Marshall, role played by Mark Ruffalo in Mickey 17]. Even at times his accent changes or the way he speaks changes. Because I wanted it to be open-ended. I wanted people and I welcome people to identify him with leaders that are all over the world today or from the past."

Mickey endures radiation exposure, inhales poisonous gases, and is subjected to experimental vaccine injections, only to be reborn through a human 3D printer. "Mickey is a vulnerable and somewhat pitiable young man, yet despite the many challenges he faces, he ultimately survives without being broken," said Bong, who won the Best Picture Oscar for 2019's "Parasite".