Past Lives (2023)

A film directed by Celine Song - available on Mubi

Part way through this tender debut film by Celine Song, which was nominated for two Oscars (best picture, best original screenplay), the female lead Nora (played beautifully by Greta Lee) explains the concept of the Korean word ‘inyeon’: “It means providence or… fate… it's specifically about relationships between people. I think it comes from Buddhism and reincarnation. It's an inyeon if two strangers even walk by each other on the street and their clothes accidentally brush…it means there must have been something between them in their past lives. If two people get married, they say it's because there have been 8,000 layers of inyeon over 8,000 lifetimes."

It’s a romantic, mystical idea, and, as Nora also says, it’s often used in Korea to try and seduce someone. It’s a connection she may or may not have with her childhood friend Hae Sung (Teo Yoo, whose face expresses unspoken longing). When they were at school together in Korea, they were inseparable. But at the age of 12, Nora’s successful family - and Nora is her Western name; her thoroughly westernised parents suggest each of their daughters take on a western name - emigrate to Canada. Nora is too excited at the prospect to feel regret, but Hae Sung is bereft.

Nora wants to be a writer, and when she becomes an adult, she moves to New York. One day, when playing around on the Internet, she finds out that her old school friend has tried to find her by leaving a message on her father’s movie production webpage. So she contacts him.

This is the start of a tentative new adult relationship, outwardly platonic, but full of repressed feelings and desires. The two converse by video link for a few months. The tension builds as Nora checks her perfect raven bob, her slim body ensheathed in a simple black sleeveless dress with a gold chain around her neck. Hae Sung, now an engineering student, is tall and handsome, well turned out and attentive.

But Nora is a woman for action, not dreams. When her request that Hae Sung comes to visit her in New York is met with reasons why the timing isn’t right, she decides to cut off contact for self preservation.