Directors Yeon Sang-ho and Na Hong-jin are heading to the 79th Cannes International Film Festival, which opened on the 12th, with ‘Gunche’ (Midnight Screening) and ‘Hope’ (Competition section), respectively. This marks the first time in 10 years since 2016 that the two have visited Cannes together. At that time, Director Yeon sparked the ‘K-Zombie’ craze with ‘Train to Busan’ (Midnight Screening), while Director Na delivered an intense genre experience to global audiences with ‘The Wailing’ (Non-competition).
Over the past decade, both have established their own unique cinematic languages in the Korean film industry, achieving both commercial success and critical acclaim. Director Yeon has built an expansive worldview known as the ‘Yeon-niverse’ across animation and live-action films, while Director Na has spent a long time crafting the masterpiece ‘Hope’. Although their working speeds and methods differ, their trajectories align in how they have consistently pushed the boundaries of Korean genre cinema.
‘Hope’, which will be unveiled on the 17th, tells the story of alien life appearing in a remote village and the humans who encounter them. Director Na once again delves deep into the fear and desire within humans, promising another unforgettable cinematic experience. The global film community is eagerly waiting to see what new achievements these two directors will reach under the spotlight of Cannes.
Meanwhile, the 79th Cannes International Film Festival will take place in Cannes, France, until the 23rd.
