Past Lives, which was nominated for both Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards, beat out films like Oppenheimer and Anatomy of a Fall.
Director reveals at debut
Speaking ahead of Past Lives’ Wednesday debut in South Korean theaters, Korean-Canadian filmmaker, Director Celine Song revealed that the Oscar-nominated picture was inspired by her own background as an immigrant.
At a press appearance in Seoul, Director Song specifically mentioned that she took inspiration from a discussion she overheard between her husband and a friend who was visiting from South Korea at a bar in New York.
Celine on the moments
Director Song explained, “I wanted to make this film because, as a bilingual, I was translating between the two who couldn’t communicate and it made me realize I was translating some parts of my identity and history.”
In addition to competing for Best Original Screenplay, it was nominated for Best Picture at the 85th Academy Awards, up against films like “Oppenheimer” and “Anatomy of a Fall”.
Additionally, the movie took home the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards’ Best Feature title.
Oscar for Song
In addition to the film’s Best Picture nomination, Song received an Oscar nod for Original Screenplay for her feature debut. Greta Lee of The Morning Show plays Nora Moon, who meets up with her childhood friend Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) in person after a 12-year virtual break while attending college in New York. Twelve more years later, Hae Sung pays Nora, who is now married, a visit in New York. They serve as a constant reminder of one another’s simpler past, their common culture, and the lives that may have been very different if her family had stayed in North America.
Like the primary character Nora, Song was born and raised in South Korea before relocating to Canada when she was twelve years old.
She continued, “It was a personal decision to make her first feature film autobiographical.”
Like the primary character Nora, Celine Song was born and raised in South Korea before relocating to Canada when she was twelve years old. She continued, “It was a personal decision to make her first feature film autobiographical.”
“As one human being, I think it should be something that you deeply believe only you can do or you must do in order to make or write something worthwhile to watch,” Song said
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