anticipated by
Award Ceremony 2025
Man-su, a specialist in paper manufacturing with 25 years of experience, is so satisfied with life that he can truthfully tell himself, “I’ve got it all.” While happily passing his days with his wife Miri, their two children, and two dogs, Man-su is suddenly informed by his company that he has been fired. Feeling as if his head has been severed by an axe, Man-su vows to find a new job within the next three months for the sake of his family. Despite his firm resolve to turn his life around, Man-su spends over a year drifting from one job interview to another, eventually working in a retail store. He finds himself in danger of losing the very house he struggled so hard to buy. Desperate, he visits Moon Paper unannounced and tries to hand over his CV, only to be humiliated by line manager Sun-chul. Man-su knows he is more qualified than anyone to work at Moon Paper, so he comes to a certain decision: If there is no opening for me, I’ll just have to get hired by creating an opening.
screenplay
Park Chan-wook
Lee Kyoung-mi
Don Mckellar
Jahye Lee
cinematography
Kim Woo-hyung
editing
Kim Sang-beom
Kim Ho-bin
music
Cho Young-wuk
sound
Kim Suk Won
production design
Ryu Seong-hie
costumes
Cho Sang-kyung
cast
Lee Byung-hun (Man-Su)
Son Ye-jin (Miri)
Park Hee-soon (Sun-Chul)
Lee Sung-min (Bummo)
Yeom Hye-ran (Ara)
Cha Seung-won (Sijo)
producers
Park Chan-wook
Back Jisun
Michèle Ray Gavras
Alexandre Gavras
production
Moho Film
in association with
KG Productions
world sales
CJ ENM – Claire Bhang
bokyeong.bhang@cj.net
www.cjenm.com
Italian distribution
Lucky Red
in collaboration with Sky Cinema
a.tieri@luckyred.it
www.luckyred.it
“Some time ago, I read a novel called The Ax. I picked it up because it was written by Donald E. Westlake, who wrote the novel behind Point Blank, one of my all-time favourite films. When reading The Ax, I found myself identifying with the protagonist — a man who believes that paper manufacturing is his entire life, whether the world acknowledges it or not. I feel the same way about filmmaking, so I could easily understand the protagonist who believes there is a certain way the head of a family and a man should be, and lives his life accordingly. After all, I’m also a man with a family of my own. But back then, I had no idea it would take me twenty years to make this film.” (Park Chan-wook)
Park Chan-wook established his reputation as a leading Korean director in the year 2000, with his Joint Security Area, followed by Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, the first part of his Vengeance Trilogy, in 2002. He would shoot to global fame with his next title, Oldboy (2003), winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes. In the years since, he has continued to receive worldwide acclaim, courtesy of Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005) and Thirst (2009), which received the Jury Prize at, once again, Cannes. His 2013 film Stoker was his Hollywood debut, and three years later The Handmaiden (2016) not only premiered at Cannes, in competition, but also won the Best Film Not in the English Language at the 71st BAFTA Awards. After a six-year break, Decision to Leave marks Park Chan-wook’s return to Cannes for another prestigious accolade: the award for Best Director.
2025 No Other Choice
2022 Decision to Leave
2016 The Handmaiden
2013 Stoker
2009 Thirst
2006 I’m a Cyborg, but That’s OK
2005 Sympathy for Lady Vengeance
2003 Oldboy
2002 Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
2000 Joint Security Area
1997 Trio
1992 The Moon Is…the Sun’s Dream
