Director Na Hong-jin's sci-fi thriller film "Hope" will compete for the top prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival, which begins Tuesday.
The film was invited to the competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival alongside 21 other titles. It marks the first Korean entry in four years to vie for the Palme d'Or.
"Hope" depicts mysterious entities appearing in a coastal town near the Demilitarized Zone. Hwang Jung-min stars as a local police chief, with Zo In-sung as a villager. The cast also features Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Russell.
The global premiere is scheduled for Sunday in Cannes. The festival runs through May 23 in the French resort city. Na's previous works include "The Chaser" in 2008, "The Yellow Sea" in 2011 and "The Wailing" in 2016.
Park Chan-wook serves as jury president this year. Other Korean films invited include Yeon Sang-ho's "Colony" in Midnight Screenings and July Jung's "Dora" in Directors' Fortnight.
