Director Jung Juri and Cast of 'Dora' Set for Cannes Film Festival Premiere

Film 'Dora' is set to have its world premiere at the 79th Cannes Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight. Director Jung Juri, who previously debuted with 'Dohiya' and followed up with 'Next Sohee,' will be joined by actors Kim Do-yeon and Ando Sakura to meet local audiences.

On May 14, the production team for 'Dora' announced that Director Jung Juri and actors Kim Do-yeon and Ando Sakura are departing for Cannes, sharing their thoughts on the festival invitation. 'Dora' has been officially invited to the Directors' Fortnight at this year's Cannes Film Festival for its world premiere.

Director Jung previously gained recognition at Cannes with her debut feature 'Dohiya' (2014), which was selected for the Un Certain Regard section, and her second feature 'Next Sohee' (2022), which was the closing film of the Critics' Week. With 'Dora,' she continues her relationship with Cannes, marking her third feature film at the festival. Jung expressed, "I am thrilled to be able to showcase the film right after its completion. I look forward to meeting audiences from around the world and returning to greet our local viewers soon."

Kim Do-yeon, who plays the title role of Dora, will walk the Cannes red carpet for the first time with this film. She stated, "It means a lot that my first Cannes experience coincides with Dora's first steps. Director Jung allowed me to fully embody Dora on set, and senior actor Ando Sakura awakened me with new energy in every scene. I am excited to see what the moment will be like when the Cannes audience meets Dora. I hope the time we spent together resonates honestly in that space."

Ando Sakura, who plays another lead character, Nami, also expressed his anticipation. He said, "Last summer, even in situations where language was a barrier, I found myself looking deeper at my surroundings to share feelings in any way possible. While films transcend language and culture, I realized that the space in front of the camera can also be a place to share our hearts without words. I sincerely hope to meet you all at my first Directors' Fortnight screening."

Ando Sakura returns to Cannes after starring in 'Shoplifters' (2018) and 'Monster' (2023). This marks his first appearance in a Korean film with 'Dora.'

'Dora' tells the story of a family that leaves Seoul for a summer vacation at a seaside villa, where Dora, who suffers from an unknown illness, experiences love for the first time, causing everything to gradually unravel. The film explores the cracks and emotional turmoil that begin within the closest of relationships—family.

The project is an international co-production involving four countries: South Korea, France, Luxembourg, and Japan. It is produced by South Korea's Red Peter, in collaboration with France's The French Connection and ARTE France Cinéma, and Luxembourg's Les Films Fauves. The production team from various countries worked together from filming to post-production, with French cinematographer Irina Lubtchansky handling the camera. Visual effects (VFX) were created in South Korea and France, sound work was done in South Korea and Luxembourg, and color grading took place in France.

This year, several Korean films have also been invited to Cannes. Na Hong-jin's 'Hope' is in the competition section, while Yeon Sang-ho's 'Goonjeon' is featured in the Midnight Screenings. Park Chan-wook has been appointed as the first Korean jury president. In an interview with AFP on May 11, a day before the festival's opening, Park stated, "Awards should be given to works that will remain for 50 or 100 years. Ultimately, the artistic achievement of the film is what matters most."

'Dora,' primarily funded by Solaire Partners through K-Wave Media, aims for a domestic release in the second half of 2026 following its Cannes world premiere. Domestic distribution will be handled by Episode Company, which is presenting 'Dora' as its first distribution project, while international distribution will be managed by Finecut.