▲ The cast of film "Veteran," provided by CJ ENM. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korean film director Ryoo Seung-wan will step onto the international stage at the Cannes Film Festival after 19 years with his film 'Veteran 2'.

 

The Cannes Film Festival Executive Committee announced on the 11th (local time) during a press conference that 'Veteran 2' has been invited to the Midnight Screening section of the 77th Cannes Film Festival, which opens next month.

 

This film is a sequel to director Ryoo's blockbuster 'Veteran' (2015), portraying detective Seo Do-cheol (played by Hwang Jung-min), who has become even more seasoned, facing a new crisis with the Violent Crimes Investigation Division. The original cast including Hwang Jung-min, Oh Dal-su, Jang Yoon-ju, Oh Dae-hwan, and Kim Shi-hoo will return, with Jung Hae-in joining as the youngest detective.

 

Ryoo's invitation to the Cannes Film Festival comes for the first time since 'Crying Fist' in 2005, for which he received the FIPRESCI Prize.

 

For Hwang Jung-min, this marks his fourth Cannes Film Festival invitation following 'A Bittersweet Life' (2005), 'The Wailing' (2016), and 'The Spy Gone North' (2018).

 

The Midnight Screening section, to which 'Veteran 2' has been invited, showcases genre films that blend artistic quality with popularity, a non-competitive section of the Cannes Film Festival. This section has featured various Korean films from ‘The Target’ in 2014 to ‘Project Silence’ last year.

 

No Korean films have entered the competitive section of this year's Cannes Film Festival.

 

However, since the Cannes Film Festival sometimes invites additional films even after the official announcement of selections, there remains a possibility for Korean films to compete.

 

This year, the competition section includes 19 films such as 'Kind of Kindness' directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone, 'The Apprentice' directed by Ali Abbasi, 'Megalopolis' directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and ‘Caught by the Tides’ directed by Jia Zhangke.

 

The opening film will be 'The Second Act' directed by Quentin Dupieux.

 

Greta Gerwig, the director and actress known for 'Lady Bird' and 'Little Women', will serve as the President of the Jury for the competition section.

The Executive Committee plans to announce further selections for Director's Fortnight, Critics' Week, and other sections in the coming days.

 

This year's festival will take place in Cannes, France from May 14th to 25th.

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