Lee Chang-dong's thriller Burning premieres in competition at Cannes

Burning, a slow-burning psychological thriller by South Korean director Lee Chang-dong, had its world premiere in the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival in May 2018. It was his first feature film since Poetry in 2010.

The film is loosely based on a short story by Japanese author Haruki Murakami, transposed to contemporary South Korea. Yoo Ah-in stars as a young aspiring writer who reconnects with a former neighbour, played by Jun Jong-seo, and becomes uneasy about the wealthy, enigmatic man she meets, played by Steven Yeun. The story touches on class resentment, youth frustration and uncertainty about what is real.

Burning did not win the Palme d'Or, but it received the FIPRESCI prize, awarded by an international association of film critics. It was also widely praised in critics' polls and was South Korea's submission for the Academy Awards' foreign-language film category. The film strengthened Lee's international standing and set the stage for his later work.