Acclaimed South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook has been named Jury President for the 79th Cannes Film Festival, set to take place from May 12 to 23, 2026. The announcement marks a historic milestone, as Park becomes the first Korean filmmaker—and only the third Asian director ever—to lead the prestigious Cannes jury.
The Oldboy and The Handmaiden director follows in the footsteps of Japan’s Tetsur? Furukaki and Hong Kong’s Wong Kar-wai, who previously served as Asian jury presidents. Festival President Iris Knobloch and Director Thierry Frémaux praised Park’s appointment, highlighting his “innovative storytelling” and his ability to explore complex human psychology through visually striking cinema.
Park is no stranger to Cannes. Over the years, he has presented four films in the main competition: Oldboy, which won the Grand Jury Prize in 2004; Thirst, which earned the Jury Prize in 2009; The Handmaiden; and Decision to Leave, which secured him the Best Director award in 2022. His longstanding relationship with the festival adds symbolic weight to his new leadership role.
In a statement, Park reflected poetically on cinema’s unifying power. He described the experience of gathering in a dark theater as an act of shared humanity—one that feels especially meaningful in times of global division. He also expressed excitement about the responsibility of watching and deliberating alongside fellow jurors.
Park succeeds Juliette Binoche, who presided over the 2025 jury that awarded the Palme d’Or to Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just An Accident. The Official Selection for the 2026 festival is expected to be announced in mid-April.
