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Director Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' invited to compete for Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival

Published: 09 Apr. 2026, 21:48

A promotional poster for ″Hope,″ director Na Hong-jin's first full feature film to feature at Cannes Film Festival since ″The Wailing″ (2016). [PLUS M ENTERTAINMENT]

Korean director Na Hong-jin's sci-fi film “Hope” has been invited to compete at this year's Cannes Film Festival, according to the festival's organizers on Thursday.

Festival organizers announced the official lineup for the 79th edition of the festival at a press conference in Paris, placing “Hope” in the main competition section, where it will vie for the Palme d’Or, the festival’s top prize.

It marks the first time in four years that a Korean-language film has been selected for Cannes’ main competition section since Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave” (2022) and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Broker” (2022) were both invited in 2022.

The invitation extended to Na’s “Hope” brings him back to Cannes a decade after his film “The Wailing” (2016) screened at the festival. Known for his meticulous visual compositions and immersive storytelling, Na has a long history of works being screened in the festival.

His debut feature, “The Chaser” (2008), was in the festival’s Midnight Screening section, a non-competitive category. That was followed by “The Yellow Sea” (2011) in the Un Certain Regard section. However, “Hope” marks Na’s first entry into the main competition section, making him the first Korean director to have all of his feature films invited to Cannes in some capacity.

“I’m honored. I will do my best in the time remaining [before the festival],” Na said in a brief statement released through distributor Plus M Entertainment.

With a production budget of about 50 billion won ($35 million), the largest ever for a Korean film, “Hope” is one of the country’s strongest contenders for the Palme d’Or.

Director Na Hong-jin speaks during a press conference at the Busan International Film Festival on Sept. 18, 2025. [YONHAP]

The film is set in a small port village near the demilitarized zone, where a local official, played by Hwang Jung-min, receives reports from residents that a tiger has appeared. As the village is thrown into turmoil, the story unfolds into a confrontation with an unsettling and difficult-to-believe reality.

The film has also drawn attention for its international cast. Alongside Hwang, Zo In-sung plays a young hunter, while Jung Ho-yeon appears as a police officer stationed in the village.

Hollywood actors including Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell and Cameron Britton portray alien characters in the film.

Co-produced by Plus M Entertainment and Westworld, “Hope” was widely anticipated by Cannes organizers, according to reports.

The film’s scale and dense narrative meant that post-production extended beyond the festival’s submission deadline on March 23, making it effectively impossible to deliver a completed cut on time. Cannes granted an extension — a practice sometimes applied to secure high-profile works from established directors.

According to foreign media reports, only two filmmakers were granted deadline extensions this year: Na and Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov.

“The selection of 'Hope' for the competition is highly encouraging for the Korean film industry,” said film critic Yoon Sung-eun. “It signals that Na has grown into a leading figure representing Korean cinema.”

The film’s domestic release date has yet to be confirmed, though a representative from Plus M Entertainment said it is targeting a summer debut.

In a separate selection, “Colony” by director Yeon Sang-ho was invited to the Midnight Screening. The film follows people infected by an unidentified virus who evolve in unpredictable ways.

Yeon previously screened "The King of Pigs" (2012) at the independent Directors’ Fortnight sidebar and "Train to Busan" (2016) in the Midnight Screening section.

This year’s Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to run from May 12 to 23 in the resort town of Cannes, located on the southern coast of France.

Park Chan-wook, who directed “No Other Choice” (2025), “The Handmaiden” (2016) and cult classic “Oldboy” (2003), will serve as president of the festival’s jury, marking the first time a Korean filmmaker has served in the role.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG HYUN-MOK [[email protected]]