CANNES, France, South Korean director Ryoo Seung-wan’s gritty crime action thriller “I, the Executioner” had its global premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday, with the lead actors and the director present for the screening in a packed theater.
The movie, which had been selected for the Midnight Screenings section of the festival’s 77th edition, was unveiled at the 2,300-seat Lumiere Grand Theatre in the French resort city.
Director Ryoo and his leading actors, Hwang Jung-min and Jung Hae-in, joined the audience to watch the film.
A sequel to the megahit film “Veteran” (2015), the movie centers around a crisis facing the Violent Crimes Investigation Division led by detective Seo Do-cheol (played by Hwang).
Seo’s team uncovers a connection between the murder of a professor and several previous unsolved cases, sparking concerns about the possibility of an undetected serial killer at large.
As the team digs into the case, the elusive killer boldly teases them by putting out a hint online about who
m he will target next, making the chaos even worse.
To strengthen their fight against this increasing danger, the team brings in fresh-faced rookie officer Park Sun-woo (played by Jung Hae-in), whose participation leads the case in surprising directions filled with unexpected turns.
As the ending credits rolled, the audience responded with a prolonged standing ovation that lasted more than five minutes.
“I can’t fully express how happy I am to have this opportunity to unveil this film at Cannes for its global premiere,” Ryoo said.
“I was so nervous, and my tie is crooked now,” he said. “It has taken me fifty years to get here. I think the journey home will feel short in comparison.”
Director Ryoo’s invitation to the festival marks his first since his film “Crying Fist” was screened in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the festival in 2005.
For actor Hwang, this marks his fourth invitation to Cannes following his previous appearances for “A Bittersweet Life” (2005), “The Wailing” (2016) and “The Spy Go
ne North” (2018).
The Midnight Screening section is a noncompetitive segment of the festival that introduces genre films balancing artistic merit and popularity. This section has consistently featured Korean films since “Target” in 2014, including last year’s “Project Silence.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency