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Director Park Chan-wook’s new film No Other Choice has been invited to the competition section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, which opens on August 27. / Courtesy of CJ ENM

Director Park Chan-wook’s latest film No Other Choice has been officially invited to the competition section of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, which opens on August 27.

In a press conference streamed live via YouTube on July 22 (local time), the festival organizers revealed the list of 21 films selected for competition. Describing No Other Choice, they said, “It tells the story of a laid-off office worker who tries to eliminate his rivals as he seeks new employment.”

This marks the first time in 13 years that a Korean film has been selected for Venice’s main competition, following the late Kim Ki-duk’s Pietà, which won the Golden Lion for Best Film in 2012. Previously, actress Kang Soo-yeon won Best Actress at the 44th Venice Film Festival in 1987 for The Surrogate Woman. Park was first invited to Venice with Three... Extremes (2004) in the non-competition section, and returned in 2005 with Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, which received three unofficial awards.

Upon receiving the invitation, Park remarked, “Having completed the film and now receiving this invitation from Venice, I feel all those years of not giving up on this project were worth it.” Lead actors Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin shared their excitement: “We’re truly looking forward to seeing the final film,” and “It’s an honor to have my first international film festival be Venice,” they said.

The film centers on Mansoo (Lee Byung-hun), an office worker living a satisfying life until he is suddenly laid off. As he seeks new employment, he takes extreme measures to protect his wife Miri (Son Ye-jin) and their two children. No Other Choice marks Park’s first feature in three years since Decision to Leave (2022) and is based on The Ax, a novel by American writer Donald Westlake. The cast also includes Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yum Hye-ran, and Cha Seung-won.

Meanwhile, Bugonia, a remake of Korean director Jang Joon-hwan’s debut feature Save the Green Planet! by acclaimed filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, is also in competition. Emma Stone stars in the film, co-produced by CJ ENM, the original distributor of the Korean version.

Other high-profile competition entries include After the Hunt by Luca Guadagnino starring Julia Roberts, Father Mother Sister Brother by Jim Jarmusch, Étranger by François Ozon, and Frankenstein by Guillermo del Toro.

The Venice International Film Festival, considered one of the world’s top three festivals alongside Cannes and Berlin, runs through September 6, with all competition films vying for the prestigious Golden Lion.