Dir. Davy Chou, 2022, France, Germany, Belgium, Qatar, 117min, DCP, Color
Starring Park Ji-min, Oh Gwang-Rok, Guka Han
In English, French and Korean with English subtitles

On an impulse to reconnect with her roots, twenty-five-year-old Freddie (Ji-Min Park) travels to South Korea—her birthplace before she was adopted and raised in France. The headstrong young woman decides to seek out her biological parents in a country she knows very little about, and the choice steers her life in unexpected directions.

The film is loosely based on the life of director Davy Chou’s friend Laure Badufle—the idea for the narrative was sparked when Chou witnessed Badufle’s initial meeting with her biological father. The critically-acclaimed feature won several major prizes, including Best Film at the 2022 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, the Audience Award at the 2022 Hamptons International Film Festival, Best Picture at the 2022 Athens International Film Festival, and Best New Performance and Best Director at the 2022 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

Nominee, Un Certain Regard, 2022, Cannes Film Festival
Nominee, Best International Film, 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards

“It is in that gap – between self-protection and exposure; between theory and reality – that this spirited, stimulating film finds its resonance.” –Sight & Sound

Critic’s Pick! “‘Return to Seoul’ is a startling and uneasy wonder, a film that feels like a beautiful sketch of a tornado headed directly toward your house.” –The New York Times