▲ Press conference announcing the official selections for the 78th Cannes Film Festival. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (EPA=Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, April 11 (Yonhap) -- No South Korean feature films have been included in the official selections of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, marking a rare absence from one of the world's most prestigious film events.

 

The organizing committee of the 78th Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday (local time) announced the official lineup for its various sections, including Competition, Out of Competition, Un Certain Regard, Midnight Screenings and Cannes Premiere. However, no Korean films were named in any of the categories.

 

According to industry sources, several Korean films, including director Yeon Sang-ho's The Devil's Plan, Kim Mi-jo's Gyeongju Tour, and Kim Byung-woo's Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, were submitted but ultimately not invited.

 

This marks the third consecutive year that no Korean films have been selected for the main competition. The most recent Korean films to be invited to the category were Park Chan-wook's Decision to Leave and Broker, directed by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda and produced by a Korean studio, both in 2022.

 

The absence is considered highly unusual, as Cannes has regularly invited one or more Korean films each year since the early 2000s.

 

There had been speculation that Park Chan-wook's upcoming film It Can’t Be Helped might be included in the competition lineup, but the film is reportedly still in post-production and was not submitted this year.

 

Despite the current lineup, industry watchers note that additional titles could still be announced ahead of the festival. Park, who has won multiple awards at Cannes including the Grand Prix, Best Director and Jury Prize, is widely regarded as one of the festival’s most celebrated auteurs.

 

There also remains a possibility that Korean films may be invited to independent sections such as the Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week, which have yet to announce their selections.

 

This year’s Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to run from May 13 to 24 in the southern French city of Cannes. French actress Juliette Binoche will serve as the president of the competition jury.

 

 

Films competing in the official competition section this year include The Mastermind by Kelly Reichardt, Young Mothers by the Dardenne brothers, Eddington by Ari Aster, Alpha by Julia Ducournau, and Renoir by Chie Hayakawa.

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