The 79th Cannes Film Festival officially kicked off May 12th in Cannes, France, with several Korean films drawing global attention across the festival lineup.
Leading the charge is director Na Hong Jin’s highly anticipated new film Hope, which has been invited to compete for the Palme d’Or — marking Korea’s first entry in Cannes’ main competition section since 2022.
Set in a harbor village near the Korean Demilitarized Zone, Hope follows a local official who is thrown into chaos after hearing reports from residents about the appearance of a mysterious being.
The cast includes Hwang Jung Min, Zo In Sung and Jung Ho Yeon, alongside international stars Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Russell. The actors reportedly used motion-capture and facial-capture technology to bring their characters to life.
Hope will hold its world premiere May 17th at the Grand Théâtre Lumière. Ahead of the screening, Na Hong Jin and the cast are expected to attend the festival’s red carpet events, followed by an official press conference and photocall the next day.
This year’s festival also marks a major milestone for Korean cinema, with director Park Chan Wook serving as jury president for the main competition section — the first Korean filmmaker ever to hold the role. Actress Park Ji Min will also participate as a juror for the short film and student film categories.
Director Yeon Sang Ho’s latest film Colony has also been invited to Cannes as part of the Midnight Screenings section. The survival thriller follows a group of survivors caught in the middle of a mysterious outbreak and stars Jun Ji Hyun, Koo Kyo Hwan, Ji Chang Wook and Shin Hyun Been. The film will screen late at night on the 15th local time.
Meanwhile, director July Jung’s new film Dora was invited to the Directors’ Fortnight section. Starring Kim Do Yeon and Japanese actress Sakura Ando, the film centers on two wounded individuals whose lives become intertwined.
The winners of the 79th Cannes Film Festival will be announced May 23rd. The closing ceremony, co-produced by France Télévisions and Brut., will air live and exclusively on France 2. The Un Certain Regard awards ceremony is set to take place Friday, May 22nd.
>> First Sneak Peek of Na Hong Jin’s ‘Hope’ Revealed Ahead of Cannes Premiere
Source (1)
