MOVIEDemi Moore and Park Chan-wook Defend the Role of Politics in Cinema at Cannes
Hollywood star Demi Moore and South Korean director Park Chan-wook argued that politics can play an important role in cinema during statements made at the opening of the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. Moore emphasized that she hopes political statements made during the festival do not distract from the films, asserting that art is a form of expression.
Moore stated that creativity shuts down when she begins to self-censor. "Through creativity, we can discover truth and answers," she said, highlighting that political expression is one of the fundamental components of art. These views led to an important discussion about the relationship between politics and art at the festival.
Park Chan-wook, who is serving as the jury president this year, provided a more comprehensive defense of political cinema. Park stated that politics and art should not be kept separate, insisting that the two should not conflict with each other. Including a political expression in a work of art does not make that work the enemy of art, and the reverse is also true.
Park also pointed out another aspect: even the "brightest political expression" can easily turn into "propaganda" if it is not expressed "in a sufficiently artistic manner." This warning highlighted the importance of conveying political messages critically through art.
At the end of his statements, jury president Park said he was ready to watch all the films "with the eyes of a pure viewer, free from prejudice and clichés, excited to see films that will surprise him." These statements reflected the fundamental principles that define Cannes and capture the attention of critics, directors, and cinema professionals.
These statements came after the 76th edition of the Berlin Film Festival, which was marked by political discussions three months ago. At that festival, jury president Wim Wenders had expressed during the opening press conference that cinematographers should stay away from certain topics.
Moore stated that creativity shuts down when she begins to self-censor. "Through creativity, we can discover truth and answers," she said, highlighting that political expression is one of the fundamental components of art. These views led to an important discussion about the relationship between politics and art at the festival.
Park Chan-wook, who is serving as the jury president this year, provided a more comprehensive defense of political cinema. Park stated that politics and art should not be kept separate, insisting that the two should not conflict with each other. Including a political expression in a work of art does not make that work the enemy of art, and the reverse is also true.
Park also pointed out another aspect: even the "brightest political expression" can easily turn into "propaganda" if it is not expressed "in a sufficiently artistic manner." This warning highlighted the importance of conveying political messages critically through art.
At the end of his statements, jury president Park said he was ready to watch all the films "with the eyes of a pure viewer, free from prejudice and clichés, excited to see films that will surprise him." These statements reflected the fundamental principles that define Cannes and capture the attention of critics, directors, and cinema professionals.
These statements came after the 76th edition of the Berlin Film Festival, which was marked by political discussions three months ago. At that festival, jury president Wim Wenders had expressed during the opening press conference that cinematographers should stay away from certain topics.
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