3rd Seoul Arthouse Film Festival Unveils 15 Films; Cannes Competition Entry ‘The Unknown’ Named Opening Film

The 3rd Seoul Arthouse Film Festival (SAFF) has unveiled its 15-film lineup ahead of its opening on Nov. 19. Hosted by M&M International Co., Ltd., the festival will run for four days, from Thursday, Nov. 19, to Sunday, Nov. 22, at Megabox Isu and the art-house theater Art Nine, under the slogan “As Arthouse as It Gets.”

This year’s lineup features 10 recent films at the forefront of world cinema and five landmark restorations from film history. The opening film is 〈The Unknown〉, directed by Arthur Harari and selected for the competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Harari, co-writer of the Cannes Palme d’Or winner 〈Anatomy of a Fall〉 and acclaimed for 〈Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle〉, returns with a film starring Léa Seydoux and Niels Schneider. This mystery fantasy explores identity, desire and the boundaries of gender through the story of a man who wakes up in the body of an unfamiliar woman. The film made a major impact at Cannes, where it sparked provocative debate.

The new-film lineup brings together works by established and emerging filmmakers who have made waves at the world’s three major film festivals. Screening at the festival are 〈A Day in the Life of Jo: Phaedra Chapter〉, directed by Jacqueline Lentzou, winner of the Venice Film Festival’s Orizzonti Award for Best Director; 〈Radu Jude’s Diary of a Chambermaid〉, selected for Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight and directed by Golden Bear winner Radu Jude; and 〈One Day, My Wife Cried〉, a competition selection by Angela Schanelec, who won the Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Screenplay. Also meeting Korean audiences is 〈Everytime〉 by Sandra Wollner, winner of the Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes and selected as Germany’s submission for the Academy Award for International Feature Film.

Also screening are Mark Jenkin’s sci-fi mystery 〈Rose of Nevada〉; 〈The Loneliest Man in Town〉 by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel; 〈Moscas〉 by Fernando Eimbcke, winner of the Berlinale Ecumenical Jury Prize; 〈I Saw Buildings Falling Like Lightning〉 by Clio Barnard, winner of the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award; and 〈There Are Children in the Red Rock〉, the latest film by French auteur Bruno Dumont. These art-house films bring distinctive perspectives to the screen.

Five restored classics, brought back to life through digital remastering, are also highlights. Three signature films by French noir master Jean-Pierre Melville will screen: 〈Le Cercle Rouge〉, 〈Army of Shadows〉 and 〈The Cop〉. The festival will also present 〈Pather Panchali〉 and 〈Aparajito〉, two films from the legendary “Apu Trilogy” by Indian cinema master Satyajit Ray.

The 3rd Seoul Arthouse Film Festival, offering a chance to experience both the diverse currents of contemporary art-house cinema and the legacy of world film history, will meet audiences from Nov. 19 to 22 at Megabox Isu and Art Nine.