MOVIE
‘Past Lives,’ starring Teo Yoo, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
On the 23rd (local time), the 96th Academy Awards nominations were announced through the Academy's official YouTube channel, and 'PAST LIVES' received the honor of being nominated in the Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay categories. CJ ENM is the only domestic investment and distribution company to have two works nominated for the Academy Awards following 'Parasite'.
Despite being the debut film of a new director, it was nominated for the highest award, Best Picture, along with prominent Hollywood masterpieces such as 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer'. This is director Celine Song's first directorial film, an amazing achievement that has been entered into the Academy Awards, and has been recognized as "the best feature debut of the past 20 years" (Director Guillermo del Toro) and "The most notable debut film of the past few years" (Vanity Fair). This is all the more noteworthy as it is a result that proves the rave reviews that have been showered on the director.
It was nominated for Best Original Screenplay along with 'Anatomy of a Fall' and 'May December'. Despite the high proportion of Korean, with more than half of the dialogue being in Korean, it is even more meaningful as it is the result of recognition for the completeness of the screenplay, including a dense story and delicate emotional lines that overcome language barriers.
Among the previous Academy Award nominations, director Celine Song is the fourth director and writer to have her debut feature film jointly nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. This is a meaningful achievement as it is the first record for an Asian female director.
CJ ENM, which participated in the production of 'PAST LIVES', is accompanying director Celine Song's strong Hollywood debut and is solidifying its position as a platform to spread K-movie assets to the global market. Go Gyeong-beom, director of CJ ENM's film division, said, "It was a bit of an adventure to present a work with Korean actors conveying Korean sentiments to the North American market, but it was a meaningful result in that it moved the hearts of audiences with a universal appeal that transcended language and cultural barriers. “It’s all,” he said, expressing his thoughts about being selected as an Academy Award nominee.
'PAST LIVES' is a work depicting the fateful story of two days between Na-young and Hae-seong, first loves from their childhood in Seoul, who meet again in New York after 24 years and look back on their seemingly unbreakable relationship. Everything is perfect, including the directing and screenplay by Korean-Canadian director Celine Song, who elegantly captures the Korean worldview and scenery, and the excellent acting ensemble of three actors including Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro from the Apple TV+ series 'The Morning Show'. It is receiving rave reviews.
‘PAST LIVES’ will be released in Korea in March.
Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr
