Jeong Juri's 'Daeum Sohee' Selected as Closing Film for Critics' Week at Cannes Film Festival

"Director Jeong Juri, Praised for Showing Greater Growth with a Powerful Film"

Director Jeong Joo-ri's film Next Sohee has been selected as the closing film for the Critics' Week at the Cannes International Film Festival. On the 20th (local time), the Cannes Film Festival Executive Committee announced the invitation, praising, "Director Jeong Joo-ri shows even greater growth with a very powerful film." This marks Director Jeong's second entry into the Cannes Film Festival. Her 2014 debut film Dohee-ya was featured in the Un Certain Regard section. Eight years later, Next Sohee depicts the events experienced by Sohee, a high school girl who goes on-site training at a call center. The story deepens its thematic concerns by adding the narrative of Yujin, a female detective who questions Sohee's footsteps. The lead roles are played by Bae Doo-na and Kim Si-eun.

The Critics' Week is a section where critics from the French Critics Association carefully select and screen films that are fresh and artistically valuable. The award is given to a director's first or second work. Since 1962, about ten films have been selected annually. This is the eighth time a Korean feature film has been introduced. Previous films that followed this path include Glass by director Yang Yoon-ho, Christmas in August by director Heo Jin-ho, Happy End by director Jeong Ji-woo, Death Bell by director Park Jin-pyo, Crosscurrent by director Jang Ryul, The Truth of the Murder Case of Kim Bok-nam by director Jang Cheol-soo, and Chinatown by director Han Joon-hee. Next Sohee is the first to receive the honor of being the closing film.

Director Jeong said, "I am grateful to release a film that we filmed last winter with the staff and actors united in spirit on a brilliant spring day," adding, "I want to confidently introduce these gem-like actors to audiences worldwide." Bae Doo-na said, "This is a film that can resonate with the world," and expressed, "I am extremely happy that the first step outside is at such an honorable event."

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