"Cannes Red Carpet Filled with K-Stars Applause for 'Spider Web,' Non-Competitive Section" Summary of the 76th Cannes International Film FestivalThe growth of next-generation directors needed despite the presence of masters Director Kim Ji-woon and the actors striking poses at the 76th Cannes International Film Festival in Cannes, France. AP/Yonhap News. Although it was excluded from the main menu (competition section), the festival showcased a variety of K-content. The red carpet of the 76th Cannes International Film Festival, which concluded on the 27th (local time), was filled with more Korean stars than ever before. Among the seven Korean films invited to the non-competitive section, the most anticipated work this year was "Spider Web," directed by Kim Ji-woon and starring Song Kang-ho. While it was expected to compete in the main section earlier this year, it unfortunately remained in the non-competitive category. However, the film's screening was scheduled for the final days of the festival on the 25th, attracting significant attention. Major film festivals often showcase the works of masters or highly anticipated films in the latter half of the festival. "Spider Web" was screened at the Lumière Theatre on the evening of the 25th and received standing ovations from the audience for over ten minutes. After the screening, Thierry Frémaux, the festival's executive director, praised Song Kang-ho's performance, saying, "It was a surprising and fantastic premiere," and added, "You elevated the prestige of the Cannes Film Festival. Cannes is your home." In the film, Song Kang-ho portrays a director struggling to complete a film amidst a difficult situation in the 1970s when film censorship was prevalent and neither the producers nor the actors were cooperative. This is the fifth collaboration between Song Kang-ho and director Kim Ji-woon, following "A Quiet Family," "The Foul King," "The Good, the Bad, the Weird," and "The Age of Shadows." The reviews for the film were somewhat mixed, but it received favorable evaluations such as "an impressive contemplation on filmmaking" (Hollywood Reporter). Director Kim Chang-hoon (second from the left) and the actors striking poses at the 76th Cannes International Film Festival in Cannes, France. AFP/Yonhap News. "The debut feature film of emerging director Kim Chang-hoon, 'Hwalran,' and 'Jam,' directed by Yoo Jae-sun, receive acclaim for Korean cinema. 'Hwalran,' screened at the Debussy Theater on the 24th, gained attention for Song Joong-ki's participation in the film after being captivated by the screenplay, even without receiving a salary, and being credited as a producer. Unfortunately-raised boy Yeon-gyu (Hong Sa-bin) meets mid-level boss Chigyeon (Song Joong-ki) from an organization, leading him into the dark world of film noir. The local media response to 'Hwalran' was largely positive. The official daily publication of the Cannes Film Festival, 'Screen Daily,' stated, 'Although genre clichés occasionally appear, it transcends the typical characteristics of the hard-boiled genre with its breathtaking storytelling.' 'Jam,' which features Lee Sun-kyun and Jung Yu-mi as a married couple, also received favorable reviews. It is a horror-thriller genre film that portrays the terror that unfolds when husband Hyun-soo exhibits strange behavior while asleep. The Hollywood Reporter introduced director Yoo Jae-sun, who had previously worked as an assistant director under Bong Joon-ho and Lee Chang-dong, and evaluated the film by saying, 'The influence of the two directors is smoothly realized in terms of genre.' Lee Sun-kyun, who participated in the Cannes Film Festival with the Palme d'Or-winning film 'Parasite' in 2019, attended Cannes this time with 'Jam' and 'Escape : Project Silence' directed by Kim Tae-gon. 'Escape' was invited to the 'Midnight Screening,' "At this year's Cannes Film Festival, Korean stars received more attention than the invited films. Every year, in order to enhance the festival atmosphere, global stars are gathered on the red carpet, and this year it was led by Korean K-pop stars. Blackpink's Jennie walked the red carpet as an actress in the non-competition film "The Idol," which was invited on the 22nd. Blackpink's other members, Rosé and Lisa, as well as members of the group Espa, also walked the red carpet after receiving invitations to film screenings. BTS's V and actor Park Bo-gum also attended parties held at Cannes. Actress Noh Yoon-seo, despite not having a film at the festival, was invited to the "Women in Motion" event where female actors from around the world gathered to discuss women's lives and films, and she walked the Cannes red carpet. However, it is still a disappointment that there is no film from Korea competing in the main competition section, except for the years affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bong Joon-ho, the winner of the Palme d'Or, is currently filming the science fiction film "Mickey7," and Park Chan-wook, also known as "Park Chan-wook-nim," is in the final stages of his HBO TV series "The Sympathizer." While the activities of directors beloved by Cannes, such as Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook, Lee Chang-dong, and Hong Sang-soo, are important, what is more pressing is the growth of the next generation of directors who will lead Korean cinema onto the global stage, following in the footsteps of Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook. It will be worth watching how directors Kim Chang-hoon and Yoo Jae-sun, who attended Cannes for the first time this year with their debut films, will grow as successors to the veteran directors. All right reserved : https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/028/0002641710?sid=103
