Director Na Hong-jin's new film "Hope" and director Yeon Sang-ho's "Gunchae" made the Cannes Film Festival lineup, once again highlighting the presence of Korean cinema.
On the 9th (local time), the Cannes Film Festival announced the official selections for major sections, including the competition institutional sector. In the lineup released that day, Na Hong-jin's "Hope" was listed in the competition institutional sector, and Yeon Sang-ho's "Gunchae" was invited to the midnight screening institutional sector.
In particular, entry into the competition institutional sector carries greater significance. It has been about four years since a Korean film entered this institutional sector after Decision to Leave.
Na Hong-jin's "Hope" is his first new film in about 10 years since "The Wailing." The story follows Beom-seok, the head of the Hopohang branch office located in the demilitarized zone, who learns from the village youth about tiger sightings and confronts an unbelievable reality as the whole village goes on alert.
In the film, Hwang Jung-min plays Beom-seok, head of the Hopohang branch office; Zo In-sung plays village youth Seong-gi; and Jung Ho-yeon plays police officer Seong-ae. The project has drawn attention as a global production joined by Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell, and Cameron Britton.
Na Hong-jin was previously invited to Cannes' noncompetition institutional sector with his debut film "The Chaser" and "The Wailing," and with "Hope" he enters the competition institutional sector for the first time.
Yeon Sang-ho's "Gunchae" also announced its invitation. "Gunchae" depicts survivors in a building sealed off by an unidentified infection fighting infected people who evolve in unpredictable ways, and it is set to be released in May.
Yeon Sang-ho was invited to Cannes' midnight screening institutional sector with "Train to Busan," and he is expected to showcase genre-driven direction in this work as well. The film draws attention with its star-studded casting, including Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Changwook, Shin Hyun-been, Kim Shin-rock, and Go Soo.
With this, Korean cinema shakes off last year's disappointment of "zero invitations" and returns to the Cannes stage. Last year, no films were invited to the official sections, leaving a record of "zero" for the first time in 12 years since 2013.
The Cannes Film Festival typically first announces about 20 works in the competition institutional sector and then reveals additional invitations closer to the opening.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival will be held in Cannes, France, from May 12 to 23, and Park Chan-wook will serve as jury president of the competition institutional sector.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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