Netflix has finally made it to Cannes.
After years of being snubbed by the world’s most important film festival, the streaming giant has finally broke through. The official selection for the 70th edition of the Cannes film festival will include two Netflix original films: the monster movie Okja from acclaimed South Korean director Bong Joon-ho (Snowpiercer) and The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), a Adam Sandler film from director Noah Baumbach.
Both will screen in the official competition and have their world premieres at the festival, which is set to run May 17-28. They will both launch on Netflix worldwide later in this year.
“The Cannes Film Festival’s commitment to giving an exceptional platform to distinct stories from the world’s most acclaimed auteurs is second to none. We are thrilled at the opportunity to premiere two of our highly anticipated films from directors Noah Baumbach and Bong Joon-ho in this prestigious forum,” Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, said Thursday in a statement.
Up until now, Cannes had snubbed Netflix, saying the company’s online-first approach to film releases bypasses cinemas and should be discouraged. It is notable that both Okja and The Meyerowitz Stories will have theatrical releases.
Bong’s sci-fi fantasy film, which tells the story of a girl who risks everything to prevent a company from capturing her friend, a massive hairy beast, will get a theatrical bow in Korea and the U.S. South Korean actress Ahn Seo-hyun stars in Okja, alongside Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Lily Collins and Paul Dano.
