Past Lives is a South Korean - American drama written and directed by Celine Song. The film had its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival in January 2023, and then screened at a number of other festivals including the Berlin International Film Festival. The film has received critical acclaim on the festival circuit and is set for a theatrical release in the United Kingdom and select international markets. It is distributed by A24. Here’s what we know about Past Lives.
What is Past Lives about?
Past Lives follows three characters whose lives are intimately entangled together. Nora and Hae Sung were close childhood friends in South Korea, but they lost touch when Nora and her family moved to Canada. Now an adult, Nora works as a playwright and lives in New York City with her husband, Arthur.
Out of the blue, Nora receives a message from Hae Sung. Hae Sung tells her that he is coming to New York and would like to meet her. Nora is confronted with her past, and a multitude of ‘what ifs’, as she comes face to face with someone who used to be such a big part of her world.
What language is Past Lives in?
Past Lives is a mix of spoken Korean and English. Nora spent her childhood in South Korea, and the scenes from this period are in Korean. In her adult life, she converses in both Korean and English, depending on who she is talking with.
Who is the cast of Past Lives?
Past Lives centres on three main characters - Nora, Hae Sung and Arthur.
Greta Lee stars as Nora, the central character of the film. She is known for previous roles in Apple TV’s The Morning Show as Stella Bak and Netflix’s Russian Doll as Maxine. She has also appeared in New Girl and What We Do In The Shadows.
Playing Hae Sung, Nora’s childhood friend in the film is Teo Yoo. Yoo was born in Cologne, Germany to South Korean parents, and speaks Korean, English and German. After moving to New York to study acting, he acts in both Korean and US projects. His previous roles include Vagabond and Chocolate.
John Magaro stars as Nora’s American husband, Arthur. He has appeared in films such as The Big Short and Carol, along with Netflix series Orange is the New Black as Vince Muccio and The Umbrella Academy as Leonard Peabody / Harold Jenkins. Magaro also appeared in Amazon’s Crisis in Six Scenes.
The supporting cast includes Ji Hye Yoon and Choi Won-young as Nora’s mum and dad respectively. Min Young Ahn plays Hae Sung’s mum, with Jonica T. Gibbs (Fresh) as Janice. Federico Rodriguez plays Robert, with Emily Cass McDonnell as Rachel. Conrad Schott is Peter and Kristen Sieh plays Heather.
Where can I watch Past Lives?
Past Lives is scheduled for a UK release date of September 8, 2023. The film will be available to watch in cinemas. It is not yet known where or when the film will be available to stream.
Is there a trailer for Past Lives?
The Past Lives trailer introduces the three main characters, and Nora’s (Greta Lee) relationships with both her childhood friend Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) and her husband Arthur (John Magaro). It also introduces the concept of ‘inyeon’.
What does ‘inyeon’ mean?
Inyeon is a theme that runs throughout the film, as Nora toys with the idea of soulmates and fate. “Inyeon” is a Korean word and concept, describing the fated, deep connection between people across their lifetimes.
Who is Celine Song?
Celine Song is the writer and director of Past Lives. This film is her feature film directorial debut, however Song has a long artistic career. Song’s own history as a Korean Canadian has influenced much of her work, including ‘Endlings’ which explores themes of migration and identity. She studied playwriting at university, earning a degree from Columbia University.
Song also directed an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s ‘The Seagull’ within the context of The Sims 4 video game. The play was streamed on Twitch. Song has also served as a screenwriter on Amazon Original fantasy television series, The Wheel of Time.
Who is the team behind Past Lives?
In addition to Celine Song writing and directing Past Lives, the film is produced by David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, through production companies CJ ENM, Killer Films and 2AM. Koffler and Vachon also produced A Good Person, and May December. Vachon also produced Carol, with Hinojosa working as part of the crew on the film. Hinojosa has more recently produced Bodies Bodies Bodies and The World To Come.
Shabier Kirchner (Bull) serves as cinematographer, with music by Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen. Keith Fraase edits Past Lives. Fraase is a frequent collaborator with Terrence Malick, with his previous films including To The Wonder, Song to Song and Knight of Cups. Past Lives is distributed by A24.
Past Lives is scheduled for a UK release date of September 8, 2023.