Jung Juri’s New Work ‘Dora’ That Captivated Cannes… Healing Power Crafted with Ando Sakura

Jung Juri director’s third achievement that captivated Cannes, the film 'Dora'

“I felt as though the viewers were really watching Dora all the way through, and that they were thinking about Nami and Dora.” In a roundtable interview with Korean reporters on the 19th, Director Jung described the film’s first screening at Cannes as “an experience that gave me courage and made me feel supported.” Invited to the 79th 'Cannes Film Festival' Directors’ Fortnight, Director 'Jung Juri'’s new work 'Dora' drew keen attention from the global film world.

The film 'Dora' follows 'Dora' (played by Kim Doyeon), a high school senior suffering from an unexplained skin disease, as she leaves for the countryside to recuperate and gradually undergoes an intimate change while interacting with her neighbor 'Nami' (played by Ando Sakura). Director Jung depicts, with meticulous detail, the process by which the most vulnerable person is restored to wholeness, underscoring that 'love' lies at its foundation. Rather than forcing easy emotional identification onto the characters, she chooses a style that maintains a certain distance, focusing on leaving a distinct afterimage in each viewer’s inner world.

Ando Sakura’s overpowering performance that breaks down the barriers of language

The role of 'Nami', a Japanese woman who married a Korean man and settled in the countryside, was played by the renowned actress 'Ando Sakura', a three-time winner of the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actress, elevating the film’s overall completion. Captivated by the aesthetics of the scenes in which the character floats on the sea, she decided to appear, and even in the unfamiliar 'Korean acting' and unconventional scene composition, she burst forth with raw emotions without hesitation.

Ando Sakura said, “In the film, there’s a part where Nami is floating in the sea, and I thought that scene connects to the real me,” adding, “I was captivated by that one scene, so I decided to (take the role).”

Overcoming early hesitation and proving the essence of acting that transcends language, 'Ando Sakura' said this project made her feel the artistic exchange that crosses borders. That, in turn, led to her intense acting aspirations to participate in a variety of future global projects.

Solidarity that goes beyond borders, and a heavy-hearted comfort for the next generation

The ensemble forged by actors of different nationalities was both a huge challenge and an achievement for Director Jung as well. The on-site experience of sharing the same artistic direction beyond language barriers also connects to the film 'Dora'’s message of communication.

In particular, the film’s ending credits include the name of the late 'Kim Saeron', who worked alongside Director Jung on the debut film 'Dohuiya', adding a quiet solemnity through the meaning of remembrance. It is a passage filled with Director Jung’s weighty hope that, even amid the pain of loss, the younger generation will manage to survive and recover. From the debut 'Dohuiya', to 'Next Sohee', and continuing through the new work 'Dora', Director 'Jung Juri'—who took all three feature-length films of the trilogy to the 'Cannes Film Festival'—once again proved to the world the aesthetic achievements and standing of Korean cinema.