Na Hong-jin’s Hope invited to Cannes competition

Apr 10, 2026, 09:25 am

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Director Na Hong-jin’s film Hope, starring Hwang Jung-min (center), Michael Fassbender, Zo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon, has been invited to the competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, opening May 12. / Plus M Entertainment

Hope, directed by Na Hong-jin, has been invited to the main competition section of the Cannes Film Festival, marking the first time in four years that a Korean film has been selected for the prestigious category.

The festival’s organizing committee announced the official lineup on April 9. The 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival will run from May 12 to 25 in Cannes, France.

Hope, Na’s fourth feature film, tells the story of mysterious entities appearing in a port village near the Demilitarized Zone, triggering a series of strange and unsettling events. The film stars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon, alongside Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.

With this selection, Na has achieved the rare distinction of having all of his directed films invited to Cannes. His debut film The Chaser was screened in the Midnight section in 2008, followed by The Yellow Sea and The Wailing, which were invited to the Un Certain Regard and non-competition sections in 2011 and 2016, respectively.

The invitation is particularly significant as no Korean feature film was selected for any official or unofficial section at Cannes last year, highlighting concerns about the industry’s recent slowdown.

Meanwhile, The Horde, a zombie film directed by Yeon Sang-ho, has been invited to the non-competition Midnight Screening section. Yeon previously received invitations to Cannes with The King of Pigs in 2012 and Train to Busan in 2016.

This year’s festival will also feature Park Chan-wook as the first Korean jury president for the main competition, adding further significance to Korea’s presence at the event.

#Na Hong-jin #Hope #Cannes Film Festival #Korean cinema #Hwang Jung-min