Bong Joon-Ho to head Venice Film Festival’s jury

This is the first time in the festival’s history that a South Korean filmmaker will be heading the competition jury

Oscar-winning filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho has become the first filmmaker from South Korea to head the jury at the 2021 Venice Film Festival.

The announcement was made by the Biennale’s organisers in a statement posted on the festival’s official website.

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The decision was made by the Board of Directors of the Biennale, who confirmed the recommendation of the Director of the Venice Film Festival, Alberto Barbera, the statement read.

This is the first time in the festival’s history that a South Korean filmmaker will be heading the competition jury.

“The Venice International Film Festival carries with it a long and varied history, and I’m honoured to be woven into its beautiful cinematic tradition.

“As president of the jury – and more importantly as a perpetual cinephile – I’m ready to admire and applaud all the great films selected by the festival. I’m filled with genuine hope and excitement,” Bong said.

Barbera hailed the South Korean filmmaker as one of the most authentic and original voices in world cinema.

“We are immensely grateful to him for having agreed to put his passion as a cinephile attentive, inquisitive, and unprejudiced at the service of our festival.

“It is a pleasure and an honour to be able to share the joy of this moment with the countless admirers, throughout the world, of his extraordinary movies,” he said.

In 2020, Bong had created history after his film “Parasite” became the first non-English and the first South Korean movie to win the Best Picture Oscar.

The movie, which examines the class divide in the Korean society through a poor family scheming its way into a rich man’s house with disastrous results, won the Best International Film, Best Director for Bong and Best Original Screenplay for Bong and Jin-Won.

The 78th Venice Film Festival will run from September 1 to 11 this year.

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