Acclaimed veteran filmmaker Park Chan-wook has been appointed as the Jury President of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, making it the first time for a South Korean director to hold such a prestigious position in the festival’s history. The announcement was made by the organisers on Thursday.
Cannes Film Festival president Iris Knobloch and general delegate Thierry Fremaux praised Park Chan-wook’s cinematic vision and contribution, highlighting his “inventiveness” and ability to capture complex human emotions. The organisers also remarked that the director is often compared with other veteran filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Brian De Palma and, David Fincher for his "artistry in composing images." Park Chan-wook responded with a comment on cinema’s power to unify audiences, calling it a “universal expression of solidarity.”
Leading the international jury responsible for selecting the winner of the Palme d’Or festival, Park Chan-wook is succeeding Juliette Binoche, who presided over the jury of 2025. The appointment that underscores the Oldboy (2003) director’s achievements in cinema, is also considered to be a recognition for Korean cinema on the global stage.
Known for seminal works like The Handmaiden (2016), and Lady Vengeance (2005), Park Chan-wook’s long association with the Cannes festival stems from him winning the Grand Jury Prize for the revenge-thriller Oldboy, in 2004. He also won the ‘Jury Prize’ for his vampire drama Thirst (2009) and ‘Best Director' award for the thriller, Decision to Leave (2022). The director's recent-most film, No Other Choice (2025), won the Golden Globes award in the 'Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy' category.
The Cannes Festival is set to take place in mid-May.