This year, no South Korean films have been invited to the 78th Cannes Film Festival, causing shock.
On the 10th (local time), the Cannes Film Festival Executive Committee held a press conference at the UGC Montmartre theater in Paris, France, and announced the official selections for the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
On this day, 19 films were announced in the competitive institutional sector, 14 films in the notable institutional sector, 5 films in the non-competitive institutional sector, 3 films in the special screening institutional sector, and 2 films in the midnight screening institutional sector.
Previously, it was reported that among South Korean works, director Yeon Sang-ho's 'Face,' director Kim Mi-jo's 'Gyeongju Journey,' and director Kim Byung-woo's 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' were submitted, but all three works did not receive invitations, causing shock.
There were prospects that director Park Chan-wook's new film 'No Other Choice' and director Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' would advance to the competitive institutional sector, but it has been reported that they were unable to submit as they are currently in the post-production stage.
In the past, the Cannes Film Festival has invited South Korean films almost every year since the 2000s, with at least 1 to 2 films to as many as 3 to 4 films. The fact that not a single South Korean feature film received an invitation is highly unusual.
The last time a domestic film was invited to the Cannes Film Festival was in 2022, with director Park Chan-wook's 'Decision to Leave' and 'Broker,' produced by a South Korean film company and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. At that time, the two films competed for the top prize, the Palme d'Or. Last year, director Ryu Seung-wan's 'Veteran 2' was invited to the non-competitive institutional sector's midnight screening.
However, the unofficial sections for Directors' Fortnight and Critics' Week have not yet been announced, so there remains a possibility that South Korean films could still receive invitations.
Meanwhile, this year's 78th Cannes Film Festival will be held from May 13 to 24 in the southern French city of Cannes.
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