Park Chan-wook: "Cannes Film Festival Judged Solely on Artistic Achievement"

First Korean Jury President
"Selecting Works That Will Remain for 50 Years"

Director Chan-wook Park has stated his principle to focus solely on artistic achievement as the jury president of the Cannes Film Festival. In an interview with AFP on the 11th (local time), he said, "Awards should be given to works that will endure for 50 or even 100 years." He expressed his intention to exclude external factors such as nationality, genre, and political ideology, and to evaluate only the intrinsic value of each work.

He emphasized, "Films should not be excluded or favored just because they contain political messages," and added, "While creators are free to engage with political themes, artistic achievement is ultimately the most important factor."

Director Park is the first Korean to serve as the jury president at Cannes. He recalled, "Even when Korean cinema was considered marginal, there were outstanding directors and actors," and said, "I often think of the seniors who were not internationally recognized." However, he made it clear, "I plan to judge as fairly and objectively as possible," stressing that nationality will not influence the judging process.

Regarding his role as jury president, he noted, "It is a significant position that can influence the course of film history," and added, "It helps to inform the world about which works are important in our era."

The Cannes Film Festival opens on the evening of the 12th and continues until the 23rd.

Director Park will also hold his first solo photography exhibition in Europe at Arles, France, starting from July 6. Under the theme "Quiet Morning," he will showcase photographs capturing film sets and everyday life in Korea. He explained, "While films strive to control everything, photography is entirely different," emphasizing, "It is important to capture special moments in everyday life."