Korean-Canadian director Celine Song said her life as an immigrant inspired the Oscar-nominated film “Past Lives”, speaking ahead of its release in South Korean cinemas on Wednesday (28).
Specifically, it was based on a conversation between a friend who came from South Korea and her husband at a bar in New York, Song said at a press conference in the capital, Seoul.
“As a bilingual, I was translating between the two who couldn't communicate and it made me realize that I was translating some parts of my identity and history,” he added.
“It made me want to do this movie.”
The film, which centers on two old friends, Nora and Hae Sung, who reunite in New York decades after being separated as children in South Korea, has been critically acclaimed since its premiere at Sundance last year.
It was nominated for this year's Oscar for Best Film, competing with films such as “Oppenheimer” and “Anatomy of a Fall”, as well as the award for Best Original Screenplay.
The film also won best feature film at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards.
Song was born and raised in South Korea before moving to Canada at the age of 12, just like the main character Nora.
It was a personal choice to make her first autobiographical feature film, she added.
“As a human being, I think it has to be something that you deeply believe that only you can or have to do to create or write something worth watching,” Song said.
See the nominees for the Best Picture award at the 2024 Oscars
Source: CNN Brasil
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