Park Chan-wook Named Jury President For 79th Cannes Film Festival

Park Chan-wook has been named jury president for the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, marking a historic first for South Korea. The director, screenwriter and producer will preside over the 2026 jury, succeeding Juliette Binoche, whose panel awarded the Palme d’Or to Jafar Panahi for It Was Just an Accident.

Park’s association with Cannes spans more than two decades. His feature breakthrough Oldboy, won the Grand Prix in 2004. He later returned to competition with Thirst, which received the Jury Prize, The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave, which earned him the Best Director award in 2022.

A historic first for South Korea

With this appointment, Park becomes the first South Korean filmmaker to head the Cannes jury in the festival’s 79-year history. The only other Asian filmmaker to have previously held the role was Wong Kar-wai, who presided over the jury two decades ago.

In a joint statement, festival president Iris Knobloch and director Thierry Frémaux praised Park’s inventiveness and visual command, noting that his films have given contemporary cinema some of its most memorable moments. They added that his work explores the emotional complexity of men and women with unusual depth, and said his presidency would honour both his artistry and the strength of South Korean cinema.

In his own statement, Park reflected on the unique experience of watching films in a darkened theatre and then debating them closely with fellow jurors. He observed that, in a time shaped by division, gathering together to watch a single film can itself become a quiet yet powerful act of solidarity.

South Korea’s Cannes legacy

South Korean cinema has maintained a strong presence at Cannes. Directors such as Im Kwon-taek, Bong Joon-ho and Lee Chang-dong have all been recognised at the festival over the years.

The 79th Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to take place in 2026.