Shocking comeback: Actress Jun Ji-hyun returns to the big screen after 11 years as director Yeon Sang-ho, known as a master of the zombie genre, teams up with her on a new film that has been invited to the Cannes Film Festival's out-of-competition lineup.
The Executive Committee of the 79th Cannes Film Festival officially announced at a press conference held in Paris on the 9th (local time) that the film The Bequeathed has been selected for the Midnight Screening section.
Executive director Thierry Fremaux introduced the film as "a horror zombie genre set inside a locked-down building." He added, "Audiences will imagine the narrative devices and storytelling possibilities that unfold within the constraints of a closed space," explaining the reason for the invitation.
The Bequeathed follows a group of people trapped in a building placed under emergency lockdown by a mysterious outbreak as they fight to survive against the infected. The film boasts a star-studded cast including Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-bin, Kim Shin-rok, and Go Soo, fueling major buzz across the film industry early on.
With this invitation, director Yeon Sang-ho marks his fourth trip to Cannes with one of his own features. In particular, his live-action zombie films like Train to Busan and Peninsula have repeatedly been called to Cannes, once again proving the global hype surrounding his signature 'Yeon Sang-ho zombie' brand.
Netizens reacted to the news by saying things like "I hope the entire cast walks the Cannes red carpet" and "I always trust Yeon Sang-ho's live-action zombie films," expressing sky-high expectations.
Meanwhile, the 79th Cannes Film Festival will run for 10 days starting May 12.