South Korean film director Bong Joon Ho poses with his Oscars. AFP

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, whose "Parasite" movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture last year was appointed as the jury president of the 2021 Venice Film Festival on Friday.

In a statement, Bong said, "I'm ready to admire and applaud all the great films selected by the festival. I'm filled with genuine hope and excitement."

Bong is the first South Korean jury president of the festival.

Festival director Alberto Barbera saluted him as "one of the most authentic and original voices in worldwide cinema." 

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"Parasite," a dark comedy about the gap between rich and poor, made history as the first non-English-language movie to win an Oscar for Best Picture.

It also picked up three other statuettes at the Academy Awards for Best Director, Best International Feature and Best Original Screenplay.

The Venice Film Festival is one of the most prestigious in the world, rivalling with Cannes and Berlin, and the oldest. Its 78th edition is scheduled for September 1-11, 2021. 

Agence-France Presse