On May 17, French culture minister Catherine Pégard presented Park Chan-wook with the Commandeur de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres (the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters) at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, making him the first Korean filmmaker to receive the order’s highest rank.

Born in Seoul in 1963, Park is widely regarded as one of the defining figures of contemporary world cinema, known for genre films that fuse psychological tension, social critique, moral complexity, and dark humor. Park has garnered numerous awards worldwide, including three at the Cannes Film Festival: the Grand Prix for Oldboy (2003), his first international breakthrough; the Jury Prize for Thirst (2009); and Best Director for Decision to Leave (2022). His accolades also include the Alfred Bauer Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival for I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (2007); the Golden Bear for Best Short Film for Night Fishing (2011), co-directed with his brother Park Chan-kyong; and a British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award for The Handmaiden (2016). In South Korea, Park was awarded the Eungwan (Silver Crown), the order’s second-highest rank, in 2022. 

Congratulating Park on the French distinction, Choi Hwi-young, South Korea’s minister of culture, sports, and tourism, said: “This honor firmly demonstrates the global stature of Korean cinema and is an occasion that lifts the pride of our cultural and arts community.”

Park currently serves as jury president of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, which runs from May 12–23.

Yuqian Fan is an editorial assistant at ArtAsiaPacific.