Korea's feature films did not receive invitations in either the official or unofficial institutional sector of the 78th Cannes Film Festival. This is the first time in 26 years that the Korean film industry has failed to submit invited works in both the official and unofficial institutional sectors since 1999.
According to the film industry on the 16th, the Cannes Film Festival's Director's Fortnight executive committee did not include Korean films in the list of screening films released on its website. Established in 1969 by the French Directors Guild to showcase differentiated films, Director's Fortnight is one of the unofficial institutional sectors of the Cannes Film Festival. Films such as Ryoo Seung-wan's "Crying Fist" (2005), Bong Joon-ho's "The Host" (2006), Yeon Sang-ho's "The King of Pigs" (2012), and Hong Sang-soo's "Our Day" (2023) have screened at Director's Fortnight.
Korean films were also excluded from the screening list of another unofficial institutional sector, Critics' Week. This sector, which has been managed by the French Critics Association since 1962, has focused on discovering new directors. Previously, films such as Han Joon-hee's "Chinatown" (2015), Jung Joo-ri's "Next Sohee" (2022), and Yoo Jae-sun's "Sleep" (2023) were invited to Critics' Week.
Korean films also missed out on the competition and non-competition institutional sectors, as well as the noteworthy mention, announced by the Cannes Film Festival executive committee on the 10th. This is the first time since 2013 that no Korean films have been invited to the official institutional sector.
The Cannes Film Festival has been introducing Korean films since 1984, beginning with Lee Doo-yong's "The Woman in the Octagon" in the noteworthy mention institutional sector.
Achievements have also followed. Bong Joon-ho won the top prize, the Palme d'Or, for "Parasite" (2019). Park Chan-wook received three awards: the Jury Prize for "Oldboy" (2003), the Jury Prize for "Thirst" (2009), and the Best Director award for "Decision to Leave" (2022). Lee Chang-dong won the Best Screenplay award for "Poetry" (2010), and Im Kwon-taek received the Best Director award for "Chihwaseon" (2002).
Song Kang-ho, who appeared in Hirokazu Kore-eda's "Broker" (2022), won the Best Actor award, while Jeon Do-yeon, who starred in Lee Chang-dong's "Secret Sunshine" (2007), won the Best Actress award.