Korean filmmaker Park Chan-woo to head Cannes main competition jury
South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook will chair the feature film jury at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
Organizers announced that South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-woo will chair the feature film jury in competition at the 79th edition of the Festival de Cannes.
A legendary figure in contemporary cinema, Park is known for his bold storytelling, striking visual style, and morally complex narratives. As Jury President, he will lead the panel that awards the prestigious Palme d’Or at the closing ceremony on May 23, 2026.
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The park’s association with Cannes goes back more than two decades. His success at the festival came with old boyWho won the Grand Prix in 2004. He received the Jury Prize for thirst 2009 and Best Director Award decision to leave his movie in 2022 maid was also selected in competition, further cementing his reputation as a Cannes favourite. Over the years, his films have become an integral part of the festival’s recent history.
Reflecting on her upcoming role a few months before the festival, Park said in a statement, “The theater is dark so that we can see the light of the cinema. We confine ourselves within the theater so that our spirits can be set free through the movie window. Being locked in the theater to watch movies, and being locked in again to engage in debate with jury members, this double, voluntary confinement is something I look forward to with great anticipation.”
He further added, “In this age of mutual hatred and division, I believe that the simple act of gathering in a theater to watch the same movie together, our breathing and heartbeats being the same, is a moving and universal expression of solidarity.”
The 79th Festival de Cannes will be held from May 12 to May 23, 2026. The official selection will be unveiled in mid-April 2026.
