Busan:Korean director July Jung, known for her films featured at the Cannes Film Festival, has been awarded a French cultural order, as announced by the French Embassy in South Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Jung received the Chevalier of France's Order of Arts and Letters during a French Night ceremony in Busan last week. This accolade is one of the three grades that make up the Order of Arts and Letters, which also includes the Commandeur and the Officier.
Jung's directorial career began with "A Girl at My Door" in 2014, and she has since directed "Next Sohee" in 2022 and "Dora" in 2026. All three of these films have been shown at Cannes. Her latest work, "Dora," is a collaborative production between South Korea, France, and Luxembourg.
During the ceremony, Jung expressed her initial uncertainty about receiving the honor but acknowledged the support from French audiences in cities like Paris, Cannes, and Strasbourg. She stated, "Thanks to their encouragement, I once again realized the power of cinema, in which the lives portrayed in a film could become our own stories."
The French Night ceremony was attended by around 150 filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, and industry officials from both South Korea and France. The event was part of efforts to enhance relations between filmmakers from the two countries and coincided with the 31st Busan International Film Festival, celebrating the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between South Korea and France.