Korean-Canadian filmmaker Celine Song wowed audiences at this year’s Sundance Film Festival with her stunning debut feature, Past Lives, a decades-spanning romantic drama.
The movie introduces us to the Korean concept of “inyeon”, the universe’s way of reuniting souls who shared a connection in previous lives.
The film follows the complicated relationship of Na-Young and Hae-Sung, starting when they are 12-year-old childhood friends and first crushes. Hae-Sung is devastated at the sudden news that Na-Young and her family are emigrating from South Korea to Canada, the first breaking point of their friendship.
Twelve years later they find each other online and talk on Skype—their conversations filled with excitement and happiness. Na-Young is now living in New York, has anglicized her name to Nora, and is a budding literary star. Hae-Sung is doing his mandatory military service in Seoul and studying engineering. Nora’s not ready to deal with the emotions that come flooding back, and the two go their separate ways again.
Then, for the first time in over 20 years, Nora and Hae-Sung are reunited face to face as he visits her in New York City. The attraction between them is palpable, even though Nora is now married to Arthur. As they spend time together, reminiscing about their lives and what could have been, they address their feelings for one another. Should they be together? Nora faces a difficult, potentially life-changing choice.
Past Lives is one of 2023’s most talked-about films, a beautiful, must-see movie about love and fate. It plays at 5:00 on Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Salmar Classic.
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