‘The Wailing,’ Na Hong Jin’s thriller, which has been continuing its sweeping upturn by attracting almost 2.6 million audience since its release on the 11th, is finally brought to Cannes. Expectations for the movie were already high even before the movie was officially showcased in the said prestigious film festival. On the 17th, the Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, the production company for ‘The Wailing,’ said that FINECUT, the movie’s overseas distributor, is receiving numerous inquiries about the movie from buyers and movie officials from all around the world. It is said that Director Na Hong-jin received enthusiastic responses for his third movie following ‘The Chaser’ and ‘The Yellow Sea,’ and that many people wondered if the movie’s official premiere is already scheduled.
On the 12th at 06:00 p.m., a special preview was scheduled to be held at Lerins 1, with only buyers invited. The seats had been sold out in the blink of an eye, proving tremendous interests and expectations for the movie. Afterward, the movie was sold to approximately 10 countries, including the United States, France, China, and more, as soon as the Cannes market was opened.
‘The Wailing’ was expected to elevate the status of Korean films at the 69th Cannes International Film Festival, along with ‘Bound for Busan’ and ‘The Handmaiden.’ As official schedules for ‘Bound for Busan’ and ‘The Handmaiden’ were successfully finished in the heated attention of the Korean audience, people are paying attention to the kind of response ‘The Wailing’ would be receiving. Among ‘The Wailing’ team members, Director Na Hong-jin will leave for Cannes first on the 16th, and Kwak Do-won, Cheon Woo-hee, and Jang So-yeon will join the trip on the 17th to complete the official schedules for the movie.
The bait has been thrown. Will the bait thrown by Director Na to Cannes capture the hearts of the Korean audience?
‘The Wailing’ has finished its preparations to put on finishing touches on Korean movies, which already made a strong presence in Cannes with ‘Bound for Busan’ and ‘The Handmaiden.’