Park Chan-wook to Head Cannes Film Festival Jury

South Korean director Park Chan-wook, celebrated for films like "Oldboy" and "The Handmaiden," has been chosen to lead the international jury for the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. This prestigious role, selecting the winner of the Palme d'Or, will see him become the first Korean filmmaker to ever head the festival's jury.

The festival, scheduled to run from May 12 to May 23, 2026, has expressed immense delight in honoring Park's significant contributions. His "inventiveness, visual mastery, and penchant for capturing the multiple impulses of women and men with strange destinies" have been lauded by festival leadership, signifying a broader embrace of Korean cinema's burgeoning influence.

Park Chan-wook first gained international recognition with "Joint Security Area" and achieved a major breakthrough at Cannes in 2004 with "Oldboy," which earned the Grand Jury Prize. His subsequent works, including "Thirst," "The Handmaiden," and "Decision to Leave," have also been celebrated at the festival, consistently earning accolades and underscoring a strong, mutual relationship with Cannes.

Park expressed his anticipation for the experience, viewing the communal act of watching and debating films in a theater as a powerful expression of solidarity in challenging times. The full lineup for the 79th Cannes International Film Festival is expected to be revealed in mid-April.