Jury president Park Chan-wook joked that he did not want to award the Palme d’Or to any of the competing films this year.
The comment highlights the tension and high stakes involved in selecting a single winner from a competitive field of international cinema. As one of the world's most prestigious awards, the Palme d’Or often sparks intense debate among critics and filmmakers regarding the quality of the entries.
Park said the remarks during the closing press conference on Saturday, May 21, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France [1, 2]. The event marked the conclusion of the 79th [1] edition of the festival in 2026 [1].
Addressing the media, the South Korean filmmaker used humor to acknowledge the difficulty of the deliberation process. He said, "I didn’t want to award the Palme d’Or to any of the films" [1].
Park elaborated on the internal conflict he felt while leading the jury. He said, "I was struggling with the decision – I didn’t want to give the Palme d’Or to any of them" [2].
The jury president's comments served as a reflection on the caliber of the competition entries. By suggesting a reluctance to choose, Park emphasized the perceived strength of the various films vying for the top prize, a common sentiment among jury heads facing a diverse and talented pool of candidates.
The 79th [1] festival concluded with these reflections on the artistic challenges of judging, as the jury sought to balance critical acclaim with the specific criteria of the Palme d’Or.
“"I didn’t want to award the Palme d’Or to any of the films."”
Park Chan-wook's comments reflect the perennial struggle of the Cannes jury to distill a wide array of global cinematic excellence into a single award. By framing his struggle through humor, the jury president underscores the subjective nature of film criticism and the pressure to maintain the prestige of the Palme d’Or amidst a highly competitive field.
