No Korean film selected for the 78th Cannes Film Festival
In a surprising announcement and that makes you think, Non Korean films have not been selected for the 78th Cannes Film Festival, marking the third consecutive year that Korean cinema has been absent from the official competition of the Festival and by the non -competition formations.
The announcement came during a press conference on 10 April (KST), held at the UGC Montparnasse Theater in Paris, with the president of Cannes Iris Knobloch and the executive director Thierry Frémaux who presented this year’s formation. While Cannes has long been a prestigious platform for the Korean filmmakers, the 2025 selections did not offer space for the flourishing film industry of South Korea.
A clear contrast with the legacy of Cannes in Korea
Korean cinema has enjoyed a famous story in Cannes. Parasite Notoriously he won the Palme d’Or in 2019, Park Chan-Wook brought home the best director for Decision to leaveand Song Kang-Ho gained the best actor for Broker In 2022. Yet since then, no Korean titles entered the main training of the competition.
Last year, director Ryu Seung-Wan Veteran 2 He was invited to the midnight screening section, which highlights the films led by the genre with mass charm. This year, however, that honor was also absent, leaving Korea completely closed by all the main sections in Cannes 2025.
Sending to stars, but no selection
Numerous high -profile Korean films were presented in Cannes this year, including:
- The ugly by Yeon Sang-Ho
- The point of view of the omniscient reader With Ahn Hyo-Seop and Lee Min-Ho (directed by Kim Byung-Woo)
- The trip to Gyeongju Played by Gong Hyo-Jin (directed by Kim Mi-Jo)
Despite their high expectations and starry casts, none of these titles have been included in this year’s formation. Two other main titles that had been the subject of speculation of Cannes, Park Chan-Wook’s No other choice With Lee Byung-Hun and his son Ye-Jin and Na Hong-Jin’s HopeAccording to reports, they were still in post-production and therefore were not presented by consideration.
What does this mean for Korean cinema
The absence of Korean films in Cannes triggered the reflection at the sector level, Especially considering the recent domain of Korea in global cinema. Without voices for three years, some wonder if this marks a temporary break or signals a deeper change in the selection criteria of the festival or in the international positioning of Korean cinema.
Fans and cinema professionals are expressing disappointment, In particular, given the anticipation of the works of the main authors and the new directors. Others remain optimistic, indicating next year as a strong return opportunity once the currently delayed projects have been completed.
The initial film of Cannes 2025 will be Leave one day By the French director Amélie Bonin. In a moment of honor, Robert De Niro will be presented with an honorary palm of OR. The festival goes from 13 to 24 May in Cannes, France, with the eyes that now look at what 2026 could contain for Korean cinema on the global stage.
