Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho shine at Cannes opening

May 13, 2026, 09:58 am

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Director Park Chan-wook, appointed jury president of the competition section at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, walks onto the stage during the opening ceremony at the Lumière Theatre in Cannes, France, on May 12. / EPA-Yonhap

The 79th Cannes Film Festival officially opened on May 12 in Cannes, France, with South Korean directors Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho drawing major attention on the red carpet.

Park, who is serving as president of the competition jury this year, shared his thoughts on cinema and politics during a press conference ahead of the opening ceremony at the Palais des Festivals.

“I came to Cannes determined to watch films with the eyes of a pure audience member,” Park said. “I am excited to approach the films without prejudice, preconceptions or stereotypes.”

When asked whether political ideology in films would influence judging decisions, Park replied, “Politics and art are not opposing concepts, so I do not think they should be separated.”

“Even if a film contains an excellent political message, if it is not artistically accomplished, it is merely propaganda,” he added. “But if it is artistically well realized, it deserves to be heard. We will choose films that will be loved for a long time.”

Park walked the red carpet alongside eight fellow jury members, including actor Stellan Skarsgård, actress Demi Moore and director Chloé Zhao.

He became the first Korean filmmaker to serve as jury president for Cannes’ main competition section and the second Asian filmmaker after Wong Kar-wai in 2006.

Meanwhile, Bong made a surprise appearance on the red carpet with French producer Melita Toscan du Plantier, attracting intense media attention from local reporters and fans.

Bong, who won the Palme d’Or at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in 2019 for Parasite, is currently preparing his next project, an animated feature titled “Ellie,” following last year’s release of “Mickey 17.”

The animated film is reportedly set to feature voice performances by Bradley Cooper and Dave Bautista.

This year’s festival, which runs through May 23, will feature three Korean feature films.

Director Na Hong-jin’s “Hope” will compete in the main competition section, while director Yeon Sang-ho’s “The Swarm” has been invited to the Midnight Screenings section. Director Jung Ju-ri’s “Dora” will be screened in Directors’ Fortnight.

In addition, director Choi Won-jung’s short film “Bird’s Rhapsody” was invited to La Cinef, a section dedicated to student and short films from around the world.

“The Swarm” will premiere on May 15, while “Hope” and “Dora” are scheduled for official world premieres on May 17.

#Cannes Film Festival #Park Chan-wook #Bong Joon-ho #Cannes 2026 #Hope