'Hope' director says film was inspired by 'ominous' feeling about the world

Na Hong-jin, the director behind the sci-fi thriller "Hope," said the sense of looming danger he felt about the world inspired him to make the film that has been invited to compete at this year's Cannes Film Festival. "Hope" portrays the sudden appearance of mysterious entities in a small coastal town near the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone, with its star-studded cast including Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung as well as Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. "Around the world, I felt there were a lot of ominous things in this planet where mankind lives," Na said in an interview held Monday on the sidelines of the film festival, which is under way through May 23. "It felt like that a war was about to happen, or that tremendous violence would mercilessly blanket the whole world," he said, noting that the film portrays how violence emerges and grows bigger.

Na said he is extremely happy and feels honored about "Hope" making it to the competition section of the prestigious film festival. "I feel really good and joyous about the fact it made it on the list.

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