South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, who is heading the jury at the 2026 edition of the Cannes Film Festival, on Tuesday said politics and art are not in conflict and a politically charged film should not be seen as an “enemy of art”.
Speaking at the opening press conference of the festival, the auteur also drew a distinction between political cinema and propaganda.
“I don't think politics and art should be divided. It's a strange concept to think they're in conflict with each other. Just because a work of art has a political statement, it should not be considered an enemy of art. At the same time, just because a film is not making a political statement, that film should not be ignored,” Park said.
“Even if we are to make a brilliant political statement, if it is not expressed artfully enough it would just be propaganda,” he added.
Park said he would approach the films in competition with the “pure eyes of an audience member… without any prejudice or stereotype, just excitement to watch films that will surprise me”.
The remarks come months after a controversy at the Berlin International Film Festival, where jury president Wim Wenders had said filmmakers “have to stay out of politics because if we make movies that are dedicatedly political, we enter the field of politics”.
The comments had triggered criticism online and offline, with more than 80 industry figures, including actors Javier Bardem and Tilda Swinton, signing an open letter criticising the Berlinale over what they termed its “silence” on the war in Gaza.
At the Cannes press conference, jury member Demi Moore was asked whether openly expressing political views could hurt the movie business. “I would hope not,” she said.
“Part of art is about expression, so if we start censoring ourselves then I think we shut down the very core of our creativity, which is where we can discover truth and answers.”
The 2026 edition of the Cannes Film Festival will conclude on May 23.