Get ready, film buffs! The 79th Cannes International Film Festival has officially begun, and K-movies are making a grand return! After a bit of a quiet year with no Korean feature films invited last time, the Korean film industry is back with a bang, bringing out all the “proven cards” that Cannes knows and loves.
From legendary directors’ latest masterpieces to the fresh perspectives of student filmmakers and even mind-bending extended reality (XR) projects, K-cinema is showing off its incredible range and proving its powerful presence at Cannes!
The festival officially kicked off today, May 12th, with Pierre Salvadori’s French film La Vénus Électrique as its opening feature. But here’s the truly exciting news for K-fans: none other than director Park Chan-wook is making history as the first Korean to serve as the jury president! Talk about a huge honor for Korean cinema!
◆ Cannes’ Favorite Trio: Na Hong-jin, Yeon Sang-ho, and Jung Ju-ri are Back!
One of the highly anticipated films is a thrilling story that begins when ‘Beom-seok’ (played by Hwang Jung-min), the head of the Hopo Port branch office in the demilitarized zone, confronts an unbelievable reality after news of a tiger’s appearance. This star-studded project features Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon, alongside Hollywood’s Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, with a massive production budget exceeding 50 billion won!
Thierry Frémaux, the Executive Director, couldn’t stop praising it, calling it “an action film where the genre continuously changes for over two hours!” And get this: Director Na Hong-jin has achieved an absolutely unprecedented feat! All four of his feature films – from his debut The Chaser to The Yellow Sea, The Wailing, and Hope – have received invitations to Cannes. What an incredible record!
Director Yeon Sang-ho is also making waves, returning to his signature zombie genre with Gunchae, which has been invited to the Midnight Screening section! This horror flick boasts a dazzling cast including Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-been, Kim Shin-rok, and Go Soo. It tells the chilling story of a desperate struggle against evolving infected individuals trapped inside a sealed building. This marks Director Yeon’s fourth time gracing the Cannes red carpet, following his acclaimed works The King of Pigs, Train to Busan, and Peninsula!
And to complete the fantastic trio, Director Jung Ju-ri’s new film, Dora, has been announced as an additional invitation to the Directors’ Fortnight! Inspired by Freud’s ‘Dora’ case from the early 20th century, this movie delves into the emotional whirlwind experienced by two characters wounded in both body and mind. It features a collaboration between Japan’s Ando Sakura and Korea’s Kim Do-yeon. Julien Rejl, the Executive Director of Directors’ Fortnight, raved about it, calling it “a free and original work that explores women’s desires and confusion.”
◆ Meet the Future of K-Movies: Rising Stars Head to the ‘La Cinef’ Student Section!
Choi Won-jung, a talented student from Hongik University, has earned an honorable invitation for her 6-minute short film, Bird’s Rhapsody! This is a historic first for Hongik University, as it’s the first time one of their student works has been invited to the prestigious La Cinef section. Her film beautifully portrays the journey of confronting the ‘bird within’ rather than chasing an elusive flying bird.
Also joining the La Cinef lineup is Nadine Missong Jin, a Korean director currently pursuing her MFA in film production at Columbia University in the U.S.! Her 17-minute short film, Silent Voices, offers a delicate and poignant portrayal of a four-person immigrant family who moved from Korea to New York. It explores their individual struggles with disconnection and frustration, and how they hide their wounds from one another.
◆ Where Tech Meets Art: The Only Korean Entry in the Immersive Competition Section!
Prepare to be amazed by Boo-woo-pee-ee, an incredibly original piece that merges virtual reality with air-pressure-based air suits to create a sense of virtual volume! This groundbreaking work explores the fascinating gap between our physical bodies and sensory perceptions as shaped by technology. It’s proudly competing alongside 9 other innovative works from around the globe, including Italy’s Red Planet 3009 and the Philippines’ Yellowfin.
The 79th Cannes International Film Festival is happening right now, from May 12th to the 23rd, in the beautiful resort town of Cannes, France! Mark your calendars: the La Cinef section awards ceremony will take place on May 21st at the Buñuel Theater, and you can catch the Immersive Competition section exhibition until May 22nd at the Carlton Hotel.
