Return to Seoul

Showtimes April 7 - 13:

Written and directed by French Cambodian director Davy Chou, the movie starts out as a fish-out-of-water story about a young woman’s search for her roots. But it quickly becomes clear that we’re seeing something stronger. Heady, searing, strident, and poignant, the film centers on a bold central character whose actions point more toward questions than answers: Is Freddie there to find her adoptive family? Is she searching to synthesize her French-ness and Korean-ness? Does she have intentions in the first place, or is her trip more of an exploration?

Beckoned into the director’s dusty, psychedelic, lavender-blue world, where impeccable music choices alternate with moments of meaningful silence, this is a story that’s interested in the emotional texture of growing up. We watch as Freddie confronts hard truths, indulges in delicious silliness, feels the cold slap of disillusionment again and again. And we’re invited to think about what’s more important – coming home or coming into ourselves.

(France, South Korea, Cambodia / 2022 / Directed by Davy Chou)
R / 1 hr 55 mins
In French, Korean, and English with subtitles