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Acclaimed South Korean Director Park Chan-wook to Preside Over 2026 Cannes Film Festival Jury
The celebrated South Korean filmmaker will lead the jury at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, scheduled to take place from May 12-23 in the renowned French resort city.
Festival president Iris Knobloch and director Thierry Fremaux jointly stated, “Park’s unique inventiveness, his visual storytelling prowess, and his gift for portraying the complex and often conflicting emotions of characters facing extraordinary circumstances have gifted contemporary cinema with some of its most unforgettable moments.”
The statement continued, “We are honored to celebrate Park Chan-wook’s immense talent and, more broadly, the vibrant and thought-provoking cinema emerging from South Korea, a country deeply engaged in exploring the important questions of our time.”
Park Chan-wook responded to the appointment with enthusiasm, stating, “In an era often marked by division and discord, I firmly believe that the simple act of gathering together in a cinema to share a single film, experiencing the collective rhythm of our breaths and heartbeats, is a profoundly moving and universal expression of shared humanity and solidarity.”
Park Chan-wook first gained international recognition at Cannes in 2004, when his groundbreaking film “Oldboy” was awarded the Grand Prix. He later secured the Jury Prize for “Thirst” in 2009 and the Best Director award for his acclaimed work on “Decision to Leave” in 2022.
He succeeds renowned French actress Juliette Binoche as the president of the Cannes Film Festival jury.
