Korean Films Screening at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival

Because of its avant-garde treatment of several genres, Korean cinema has been raising the standard for originality for years, which explains its continuous influence on foreign films and participation in prominent international film festivals. The 76th Cannes Film Festival is no exception this year. It has invited five Korean films to be exhibited under the following umbrellas throughout its scheduled run from May 16 to May 27.

Un Certain Regard

Hopeless – Kim Chang-hoon

Un Certain Regard, the festival’s main presentation, primarily highlights films by emerging directors and films that employ innovative narrative techniques. The maiden movie of Kim Chang-hoon is undoubtedly drawing notice under this heading. Additionally, Song Joong-ki, the South Korean heavyweight with a career spanning more than a decade, makes his Cannes debut with the drama film noir. Its poster reads, “Hope is nowhere to be found,” and Song plays a gangster of the town in the story, which unleashes nefarious people who take calculated risks to flee from their hopeless situations.

Out of Competition

Cobweb – Kim Jee-woon

The Cannes Film Festival invites a few films to participate “out of competition” each year—which draws the same attention but is not entitled to any awards—to boost the festival’s prestige without losing the competition’s aesthetic merit. This year’s entry in this category is Cobweb by Kim Jee-woon, featuring Song Kang-ho, Im Soo-jung, Oh Jung-se, Jeon Yeo-been, and Krystal Jung. Cobweb is a comedy-drama about a filmmaker who is fascinated by the idea that the finale of the 1970s film Cobweb would be improved if it were reshot.

Midnight Screenings

Project Silence – Kim Tae-gon  

Project Silence, starring Lee Sun-kyun, Ju Ji-hoon, and Kim Hee-won, will be screened as a part of the festival’s Midnight Screenings segment, which allocates a limited number of midnight spots for intriguing genre flicks or those with complex themes. In this fantasy horror movie, filmmaker Kim Tae-gon captures the horrific aftermath of an accident on a misty bridge that releases unknown predators and sets off a fight for survival.

International Critics’ Week

Sleep – Jason Yu

To improve the films’ visibility, just seven full-length and seven short films are shown in the International Critics’ Week section. With debut and sophomore films from international filmmakers, it is the festival’s oldest concurrent non-competitive part. This time, it includes the Lee Sun-kyun and Jung Yu-mi starrer Sleep, directed by Jason Yu. In the mystery thriller, a pregnant wife is anxious about her husband’s sleep-talking, which gradually escalates into startlingly horrible behavior. They desperately seek a shaman’s help, as the problem is exacerbated when a sleep clinic proves ineffective.

Directors’ Fortnight

In Our Day – Hong Sang-soo

The Directors’ Fortnight is a separate section of the Cannes Film Festival that presents a lineup of international shorts, features, and documentaries. In Our Day, created by Hong Sang-soo and involving Ki Ju-bong and Kim Min-hee, will be showcased in this category. It recounts the heartfelt tale of a middle-aged woman and an elderly man and how their routines overlap through the course of the film.