Neon acquires Cannes title 'Hope' after lengthy negotiations
What's the story
Neon has acquired the rights to the South Korean thriller Hope, directed by Na Hong-jin, ahead of its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Variety has confirmed. The deal was finalized after a long negotiation process that began in November. With this acquisition, Neon now has six titles at this year's Cannes Film Festival, including Arthur Harari's The Unknown and Cristian Mungiu's Fjord.
Film plot
What is 'Hope' all about?
Hope is a sci-fi thriller that tells the story of a police officer who is alerted to a tiger sighting in the hills, causing panic in the town. However, this local incident soon evolves into an even bigger and more horrifying mystery that will force the townspeople to confront their fears. The film stars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Hoyeon from South Korea, along with Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.
Director's statement
Hong-jin has previously directed successful films
Hope is Hong-jin's follow-up to his 2016 box office hit The Wailing. He has been credited with helping redefine Korean genre cinema with films like The Yellow Sea and The Chaser. When the project was announced last year, he expressed gratitude toward the actors for their dedicated performances, saying, "They conveyed everything this film set out to capture with remarkable talent and focus."
Studio's achievements
Neon has established itself as a Cannes favorite
Neon has established itself as a Cannes favorite, with six consecutive wins for the coveted Palme d'Or. Their award-winning titles include It Was Just an Accident, Anora, Anatomy of a Fall, Triangle of Sadness, Titane, and Parasite. Two of these films, Anora and Parasite, went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture.