Film director Park Chan-wook will become the first Korean to serve as jury president at France's Cannes International Film Festival.
According to major news outlets including AP on the 26th, the Cannes Film Festival organizing committee has appointed Park as jury president for the 79th Cannes International Film Festival. Park will oversee judging in the competition section that determines the winner of the Palme d'Or, the festival's highest honor. He succeeds French actress Juliette Binoche, who served as jury president last year.
Cannes Film Festival President Iris Knobloch and Executive Director Thierry Frémaux said in a statement: "Park's originality, visual direction, and ability to capture the multilayered impulses of men and women with strange destinies have created unforgettable moments in contemporary cinema." They added: "We are delighted to honor his exceptional talent and the cinema of a nation that has been deeply engaged with the questions of our time."
While several Korean filmmakers have served as Cannes jury members, Park is the first to assume the presidency. Previous Korean jury members include director Shin Sang-ok (1994), director Lee Chang-dong (2009), actress Jeon Do-yeon (2014), actor Song Kang-ho (2021), and director Hong Sang-soo (2025). Park first established his connection with Cannes by winning the Grand Prix for "Oldboy" in 2004. He subsequently won the Jury Prize for "Thirst" in 2009 and Best Director for "Decision to Leave" in 2022.
Regarding his appointment, Park said: "In an era of hatred and division, I believe that watching films together in a cinema can move hearts and create a universal sense of solidarity."
The Cannes Film Festival will be held from May 12 to 23 in Cannes, a resort city in southern France.