Post Oscar Winning “Parasite”: Cannes 2021 Line Up Excludes South Korea Films in Competition for First Time in Five Years

Cannes 2021 has unleashed its line up, and South Korea filmmakers must be perplexed.

Two years ago, at the last Cannes, “Parasite” took the festival by storm. Bong Joon-ho’s social satire won the Palme D’Or and went on to win the Academy Award.

“Parasite” marked the fifth year in a row that South Korean films were in the main competition at Cannes.

They included: Park Chan-wook’s “The Handmaiden” in 2016, Bong Joon-ho’s “Okja” (2017), Hong’s “The Day After” (2017), and Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning.”

So it was expected the streak would continue. But no South Korean film is in the mix this year.

“Emergency Declaration,” directed by Han Jae-rim, and “In Front of Your Face” by Hong Sang-soo were invited to this year’s Cannes Film Festival. But out of competition, in side showings. There is no chance of a Palme D’Or even if they receive ecstatic receptions.

And that’s the way the Croisette crumbles!