Director Bong Joon-ho‘s Okja (옥자) is almost upon us. The highly anticipated science-fiction/drama is set to premiere In Competition at the Cannes Int. Film Festival on May 19th, before appearing on Korean cinema screens around June 28th – and across the world, thanks to Netflix.

The film tells the story of Korean youngster Mija and her best friend, the enormous hippo-esque animal Okja, who have lived peacefully in the mountains for the last 10 years. Yet when the Mirando Corporation abducts Okja to New York for their own nefarious schemes, Mija embarks on a quest to save her friend and bring her home.

Director Bong is no stranger to films of this nature, having helmed monster movie The Host and exploring the dark side of capitalism in Snowpiercer, however Okja looks set to be an altogether new animal. In recent interviews, director Bong has stated that, “Netflix guaranteed my complete freedom in terms of putting together my team and the final cut privilege, which only godlike filmmakers such as Spielberg get” (Sonia Gil; Variety). Such a statement is a cause for celebration, as well as – perhaps unintentionally – eluding to the difficulties director Bong had with The Weinstein Company for the final cut of Snowpiercer.

Okja has also courted controversy due to the Cannes Film Festival rules regarding theatrical distribution. French exhibitors are angry that certain films, particularly those from streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon, are not bound by the strict theatrical release rules that exits in France, prompting the festival to alter requirements for selected works from 2018. However at a press conference in Seoul director Bong and Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarados did not seem to mind the controversy, with director Bong stating, “I anticipate even more explosive talk about the film’s story itself,” he said, noting it could be seen as political satire, but also “my first love story – between a girl and an animal” and how we live with animals “as friends and family, and as food.” (Jean Noh; Screen Daily).