K-zombies just set the night on fire in Cannes, France!
The movie ‘Colony’ (directed by Yeon Sang-ho), starring Jun Ji-hyun and Koo Kyo-hwan, made its world premiere on the 16th (local time) at the Lumiere Grand Theatre. It was officially screened as part of the Midnight Screening section at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, which opened on the 12th.
The 2,300-seat theater was packed with local moviegoers and fans who flew in from Korea just to see them. Director Park Chan-wook, this year’s Jury President for the competition section, welcomed the ‘Colony’ team on the red carpet alongside General Delegate Thierry Frémaux. A thunderous round of applause lasted for about five minutes as Director Yeon Sang-ho, Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, and Shin Hyun-bin entered the theater and took their seats.
‘Colony’ marks Director Yeon’s third zombie series, following ‘Train to Busan’ (2016) and ‘Peninsula’ (2020). Since both previous films were highly sought after by Cannes, the official invitation of ‘Colony’, which serves as the conclusion to the series, puts the perfect finishing touch on his K-zombie saga.
The story follows the desperate struggle for survival of people trapped inside a sealed skyscraper in downtown Seoul after a mysterious mass infection breaks out. While it keeps the framework of traditional zombie movies, it adds fresh twists, such as zombies that evolve to possess intelligence and humans who intentionally create and lead zombie hordes.
The screening started about 30 minutes later than scheduled and ended around 2:53 AM. A standing ovation poured in for about seven minutes from the moment the credits rolled until Director Yeon shared his thoughts. He expressed his gratitude, saying, “It is such an honor to present ‘Colony’ again at the Cannes Film Festival, a place I have dreamed of. The passionate support will be a memory that stays with me for a very long time in my filmmaking journey.”
Meanwhile, the Cannes Film Festival continues until the 23rd. Other upcoming screenings include Director Na Hong-jin’s ‘Hope’ (Competition), Director Jung Ju-ri’s ‘Dora’ (Directors’ Fortnight), and Director Choi Won-jung’s short film ‘Rhapsody of the Bird’ (La Cinef).
