Cannes Film Festival Opens with Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho..."Politics Without Artistic Merit Is Propaganda" [Cannes Opening]

News1 [Financial News] The British news agency Reuters reported that the 79th Cannes International Film Festival opened on the 12th (local time) in the southern French resort city of Cannes in a calmer atmosphere than in previous years.
According to the report, this year's opening ceremony, held amidst political tension ahead of the French presidential election in April-May 2027, was generally restrained. The number of A-list Hollywood stars walking the red carpet was smaller than in previous years, and political messages were not significantly highlighted in the opening speeches. Instead, the scene where film director Peter Jackson received the Honorary Palme d'Or emerged as a major topic of conversation.
In the Korean film industry, attention is focused on the moves of Director Park Chan-wook, the first Korean to serve as the president of the Cannes Film Festival jury. In an interview with the French news agency AFP on the 11th, the day before the opening, Director Park revealed his judging criteria, stating, "I will exclude external factors such as nationality, genre, and political ideology, and evaluate solely on the value of the work itself. " He emphasized, "Awards should be given to works that will endure for 50 or 100 years.
" He further stressed, "A film should not be excluded simply because it contains a political message, nor should it be given preferential treatment for that reason alone," adding, "Politics without artistry is no different from propaganda. Ultimately, the artistic achievement of the film is the most important thing.
" Director Bong Joon-ho also attended the red carpet event that day. Director Bong won the Palme d'Or, the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival, for his 2019 film *Parasite*. On this day, Director Bong was joined by Melita Toscan du Plantier, Artistic Director of the Marrakech International Film Festival. Director Bong previously served as the President of the jury for the 2025 Marrakech International Film Festival.
Meanwhile, several Korean films were officially invited this year, including Director Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' (Competition), Director Yeon Sang-ho's 'The Hive' (Midnight Screening), Director Chung Ju-ri's 'Dora' (Directors' Fortnight), and Director Choi Won-jung's 'Birds' Rhapsody' (La Cinéf). In addition, Director Park Chan-wook became the first Korean to serve as the President of the Competition Jury, once again proving the status of Korean cinema in the global film industry.

Korean Film Council Supports Overseas Expansion of Korean Films The Korean Film Council announced on the 13th that it will provide comprehensive support during the Cannes International Film Festival to promote the overseas expansion of Korean films and broaden international exchanges.
In particular, among the films invited to Cannes this year, 'Dora' was selected for the Council's 2025 Mid-Budget Korean Film Production Support Project and was completed with a production budget of approximately 600 million won. Previously, Director Jung Ji-young's 'My Name Is', which also received support from the same project, advanced to the 76th Berlin International Film Festival.
'Dora' is also a participant in the 'KO-PICK Showcase,' which the Council is promoting to support the global expansion of Korean film IP and personnel. Lee Dong-ha, CEO of Red Peter Films, the production company behind 'Dora,' previously participated in the '2024 KO-PICK Producers in France' program.
The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) is operating various events locally to promote Korean films and support their overseas expansion. First, from May 12 to 20, it will operate the 'KOFIC Promotion Pavilion' at Room 125 of Village International, providing comprehensive information on this year's invited films, as well as details regarding domestic production companies, sales agencies, and the film festival.
From the 13th to the 18th, the '2026 KO-PICK Showcase in Cannes' will be held. Five KO-PICK producers selected through an open call (Kim Ki-hyun, Marc Brazil, Kim Dong-hyun, Lee Ha-rim, and Oh Young-ju) plan to participate in business matching, project pitching, and networking events to seek collaboration opportunities with global film industry stakeholders.
In addition, a 'Korean Film Night' will be held to share the achievements of the Korean film industry and provide a venue for expanding international exchange.
jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-ah Reporter