Past Lives (2023)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
Two childhood friends separated by immigration and time navigate the complexities of their connection across decades.
The story
In 1999, childhood friends Na Young and Hae Sung develop feelings for each other in Seoul, but Na Young's family immigrates to Canada, causing them to lose contact. Two decades later, Na Young, now living in New York City under the name Nora, reconnects with Hae Sung via social media. As they navigate their reunion through video calls, they must confront the distance of time and the different lives they have built apart from one another. The narrative explores their evolving relationship as they grapple with the reality of their shared past and their separate presents.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1999, Na Young and Hae Sung are 12-year-old classmates in Seoul who develop feelings for each other before Na Young's family moves to Canada. They lose contact until 2011, when Nora (Na Young) discovers Hae Sung is looking for her on Facebook. They reconnect via video calls but remain physically apart as Nora focuses on her life in New York and Hae Sung moves to China. In 2023, Nora is married to Arthur Zaturansky. Hae Sung travels to New York to visit her. The three meet at a speakeasy where Nora translates between the two men before speaking with Hae Sung in Korean. They discuss the Buddhist concept of In-Yun, reflecting on how past lives influence current connections. In a final moment of intimacy, Hae Sung and Nora share a long look before he leaves, and she returns to her apartment to cry in Arthur's arms.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 106
- Production countries
- South Korea; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Celine Song
- Writers
- Celine Song · writer
- Cast and characters
- Greta Lee · Nora Moon; Teo Yoo · Hae Sung; John Magaro · Arthur Zaturansky
- Genres
- romantic drama
- Themes
- fate; identity; longing; cultural barriers; time
- Tone and mood
- poetic; melancholic; intimate
- Setting
- Seoul, New York City, and Canada across the years 1999, 2011, and 2023.
- Premise and plot tags
- multigenerational; immigrant story; long-distance; reunion
- Source material / true-story basis
- semi-autobiographical
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim and was praised for its intimacy and poetic nature, being included on several 'best of' lists for the 2020s.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 94 · scale: 100 · review count: 52
- Awards and nominations
- National Board of Review · top ten films of 2023 · 2023 · win; American Film Institute · top ten films of 2023 · 2023 · win; Golden Globe Awards · Best Motion Picture - Drama · nomination; Golden Globe Awards · nomination · nomination; Academy Awards · Best Picture · nomination; Academy Awards · Best Original Screenplay · nomination; National Society of Film Critics Award · Best Film · 2023 · win
- Production trivia
- The film was shot on 35 mm film to create a sense of timelessness.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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