NICE — President Lee Jae-myung attended the Lumiere Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, on the 7th as co-chair, discussing the future direction of the film and video industry. At the event, Lee and French President Emmanuel Macron adopted a joint declaration on a global film and video industry investment cooperation initiative, under which the two countries will invest a combined 1 billion euros in their respective film and video sectors.
Kang Yu-jung, senior presidential spokesperson, said in a written briefing that Lee was attending the summit as co-chair alongside some 200 participants, including culture ministers from around the world, officials from international organizations, film and video industry experts, directors and actors. The Lumiere Summit, held for the first time this year, is an event dedicated to discussing the future of film and video. Macron invited South Korea to serve as co-chair during a Korea-France summit in April.
In his opening address, Lee laid out an agenda for responding to changes in the film and video industry environment. Together with Macron, he also announced the Global Film and Video Industry Investment Cooperation Initiative, under which each country will invest 500 million euros, or 1 billion euros combined, in the video industry over five years starting in 2027.
Lee also held a meeting with South Korean directors and actors invited to the summit. Attendees included director Lee Chang-dong, whose works include "Peppermint Candy" and "Oasis"; director Chung July, who directed "Dora" and "Next Sohee"; actor Sol Kyung-gu, known for the drama "Field Mice" and the films "Haeundae" and "Silmido"; actor Jeon Do-yeon, who starred in "Secret Sunshine" and "The Mantis"; and Kim Min-young, vice president overseeing Netflix content for the Asia-Pacific region excluding India.
Lee also chaired a roundtable, where participants held in-depth discussions on ways for global players to enrich the global cultural industry through sustainable mutual growth. The roundtable brought together figures leading the global video and content industry, including CJ ENM, NAVER, Netflix, the Motion Picture Association and Mediawan.
Industry watchers expect the gathering of South Korean creators drawing attention on the world stage to serve as a catalyst for spreading K-content globally. Interest in South Korean cinema is also expected to grow as the event coincides with the announcement of the Golden Lion winner at the Venice Film Festival. An industry official said the film is being described in Venice as a work only director Lee Chang-dong could make, one that appears to probe human beings and character, adding that South Korean cinema, which had recently fallen into a slump, is expected to draw renewed international attention and demonstrate the strength of K-movies.
