Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, author of such precise works as Oldboy or The Handmaiden, will assume the presidency of the Cannes Film Festival jury in 2026. Known for his visual elegance and discreet nature, the director states he is ready for fierce debates in the selection of the Palme d'Or. His past as an activist against the dictatorship in South Korea left him with a taste for rebellion and intense dialogue.
The algorithm of controversy in the screening room 🎬
Park's arrival in Cannes promises an unusual jury dynamic. His experience in psychological tension cinema and meticulous staging suggests that technical debates will focus on editing, cinematography, and visual narrative. Unlike other presidents more inclined toward consensus, Park values discussion as a creative tool. His ability to dissect shots and narrative rhythms, forged in political resistance, could turn meetings into sessions of analysis as rigorous as they are passionate.
Palme d'Or or bamboo palm: the warrior's choice 🏆
Let's imagine the scene: Park in the deliberation room, with his enigmatic smile, listening to a jury defending a light comedy. With the calm of a veteran of university trenches, he will unleash an argument about long takes and political symbolism that will make the film's defender sweat. In the end, the Palme d'Or will go to the most uncomfortable film, and the losers will console themselves by saying that at least there was no need to fight with a hammer, as in Oldboy.