Director Jung Ju-ri held an interview on the afternoon of the 19th at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, for her film ‘Dora’, which was invited to the Directors’ Fortnight at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
‘Dora’ tells the story of Dora (played by Kim Do-yeon), who suffers from an unknown skin disease. While staying with a couple, Nami (Ando Sakura) and Yeonsu (Song Sae-byeok), in the countryside, she experiences happiness and love for the first time, causing their relationships and emotions to shift. Director Jung Ju-ri uses her signature delicate direction to portray two wounded souls caught in a whirlwind of complex emotions, exploring primal desires and inner confusion through bold and sensory visuals.
Following her feature debut ‘Do-hee-ya’ (2014, Un Certain Regard) and her second feature ‘Next Sohee’ (2022, Critics’ Week closing film), Jung Ju-ri has once again been invited to Cannes with ‘Dora’. This marks the first time in Korean cinema history that a female director has had three feature films selected for the Cannes Film Festival over the past 12 years.
Reflecting on the first screening, Director Jung shared, “I was curious about how the audience would react. I felt they watched the movie until the end and truly thought about Dora and Nami. Although making the film was difficult, I felt encouraged and supported.”
While this film remains female-centric like her previous works, the atmosphere and progression have evolved. Responding to comments that it felt “new,” Jung explained, “I didn’t change the way I work. Since I wrote the screenplay, I was just anxious and focused on how to express the original idea exactly as I envisioned it from filming to completion.” She added, “While the fundamental story I want to tell is similar to my previous works, the stories themselves are different, so I tried to use expressions that fit this specific narrative.”
She further noted, “One difference is that nature was as important as the characters this time. I put a lot of effort into capturing the forest and the sea, as well as that vivid atmosphere that can be scary and unpredictable, much like how it felt when I was a child.”
‘Dora’ is an adaptation of Sigmund Freud’s “Dora” case study, brought into a modern Korean setting. When asked why she chose this case, Jung explained, “Freud didn’t actually believe Dora; he thought she was lying and hiding things. Because he didn’t truly listen to her voice, that case was not a success.” She continued, “I wanted to create a story where Dora, starting from a vulnerable and sick state, doesn’t stay in that failed case but instead recovers and stands as a complete being. I hope this becomes a clear example of that. Rather than simply finding femininity, I believe the power that enables this recovery is the love that dwells within Dora. Her love for Nami gradually heals her, eventually giving her the energy to take action.”
Regarding the casting of Kim Do-yeon, Jung shared, “I chose her after a very long audition process. To be honest, the image I initially had in mind was completely different. I thought of someone who looked physically fragile, small, and vulnerable. While there were great actors with that vibe, I saw the version of Dora after recovery in Kim Do-yeon. As she quietly went through the entire process, I felt a certain steadfastness in her. I realized she could express the strong, firm Dora we see at the end.”
Jung also discussed casting Ando Sakura. “This project has been in the works for a long time, and initially, the role was meant for a Korean. But as I prepared, I kept feeling something was off, especially with Nami. I wondered how I could ever perfectly understand Nami’s unfathomable emptiness, loneliness, and sadness. I realized there might be realms I simply don’t know. Then I thought, ‘What if Nami is Japanese instead of Korean?’ and before I could even finish that thought, Ando Sakura came to mind.” Jung added, “I told Ando Sakura that I couldn’t fully know Nami either, and that Nami seemed to be a character existing between us. I quickly translated the script into Japanese, and she embraced the entire film and had the same feeling about Nami as I did. I was so moved during our first meeting; it felt as if Nami was standing right in front of me.”
‘Dora’, which had its first premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, is scheduled to be released in Korea in the second half of this year.
