“Korean cinema is no longer on the periphery.” Director Park Chan-wook, appointed as the Jury President for the 79th Cannes Film Festival, highlighted the rising status of Korean films. After the disappointment of having zero entries in the competition last year, three Korean films have received invitations to Cannes this year. Whether this momentum leads to awards is the main point of interest for this festival.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival opened on the 12th (local time) at the Lumière Grand Theatre within the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, Southern France. With a Korean film returning to the competition for the first time in four years since Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave” in 2022, excitement in Korea is reaching a fever pitch.
Above all, Park Chan-wook’s presence as the first-ever Korean Jury President is heating up the early atmosphere. Having maintained a deep connection with Cannes since “Oldboy” in 2004 and “Decision to Leave,” Director Park drew attention for his bold statements during the jury press conference. He emphasized, “Art and politics should not be separated,” adding that “art should not be viewed as an enemy just because it contains a political message, nor should it be excluded for lacking one.”
This stood in contrast to Director Wim Wenders, who served as Jury President for the 76th Berlin International Film Festival and stated that “filmmakers should not be involved in politics.” This highlight’s Park Chan-wook’s perspective that international conflicts and real-world issues cannot be separated from art.
His wit also shone through. Director Park caught everyone’s attention with a clever remark about the status of Korean cinema while mentioning the three invited films. “When I first came to Cannes in 2004, Korean films were only introduced occasionally,” he began. “A lot has changed in just 20 years. Korea is no longer a cinematic periphery.” However, he added with a laugh, “I don’t want to say Korean films entered the center because they are just ‘good.’ We’ve become able to embrace more countries and diverse films. Three Korean films were invited this year, but that doesn’t mean I’ll give them extra points!”
A total of three Korean films, directed by filmmakers with deep ties to Cannes, have made it to the festival. Na Hong-jin’s “Hope” is in the Competition section, Yeon Sang-ho’s “Swarm” is in the Midnight Screening section, and Jung Ju-ri’s “Dora” is in the Directors’ Fortnight.
Expectations are particularly high for Na Hong-jin’s “Hope,” as it marks the return of Korean cinema to the competition after four years. With “Hope,” Director Na Hong-jin continues his impressive record of having every single one of his features invited to Cannes, starting from his debut “The Chaser,” followed by “The Yellow Sea” and “The Wailing.”
“Hope” tells the story of Beom-seok, the chief of the Hopo-hang office near the DMZ, who encounters a bizarre incident in the village. It will have its world premiere on the 17th at the Lumière Grand Theatre, with Director Na Hong-jin and actors Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, and Taylor Russell in attendance.
Director Yeon Sang-ho’s new work “Swarm” was invited to the Midnight Screening section. Following “The King of Pigs,” “Train to Busan,” and “Peninsula,” Director Yeon returns to Cannes once again. “Swarm” depicts survivors fighting evolved infected individuals inside a building locked down due to a mysterious infection. It premieres on the 15th, with Director Yeon and actors Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-bin, and Kim Shin-rok attending.
Director Jung Ju-ri’s “Dora” was invited to the Directors’ Fortnight. The film follows a family heading to a seaside villa, where Dora, who suffers from an unknown illness, begins to experience love for the first time, causing everything to slowly shift. Director Jung was previously invited to Cannes for “Han Gong-ju” and “Next Sohee.” This invitation is significant as it’s the first Korean film in the Directors’ Fortnight in three years since Hong Sang-soo’s “Our Day” in 2023.
Meanwhile, the 79th Cannes Film Festival will run until the 23rd, with the prestigious Palme d’Or announced on the closing day.
