Director Hong Sang-soo’s 34th feature film, ‘The Day She Returns’, in which Kim Min-hee participated as the production director, has received an official invitation to the Panorama section of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival.
On January 14 (local time), the executive committee of the Berlin International Film Festival announced, “Hong Sang-soo’s new film ‘The Day She Returns’ has been officially invited to the Panorama section.”
Hong Sang-soo, who maintains a deep connection with the Berlin International Film Festival, has been invited for seven consecutive years, following his previous works: ‘The Woman Who Ran’, ‘Introduction’, ‘The Novelist’s Film’, ‘In Water’, ‘A Traveler’s Needs’, and ‘Walk Up’.
‘Walk Up’ was invited to the competition section at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival last February but did not win an award. Kim Min-hee participated as the production director in that work.
During their attendance at last year’s Berlin International Film Festival, Kim Min-hee’s visible pregnancy drew considerable attention.
Subsequently, reports indicated Kim Min-hee gave birth in April. In ‘The Day She Returns’, invited to this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, Kim Min-hee is also credited as the production director.
‘The Day She Returns’ features actors Song Sun-mi, Jo Yoon-hee, Park Mi-so, Ha Sung-guk, Shin Seok-ho, Kim Sun-jin, Oh Yoon-su, and Kang So-i, many of whom have appeared in Hong Sang-soo’s previous works.
The Panorama section, where ‘The Day She Returns’ will screen, is one of the official sections of the Berlin International Film Festival. It highlights contemporary social issues and new cinematic trends through works with compelling narratives and original formats.
The 76th Berlin International Film Festival will be held from February 12 to 22 in Berlin, Germany. There is ongoing interest in whether Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee will travel to Berlin together again this year.
Hong Sang-soo, born in 1960, and Kim Min-hee, born in 1982, became acquainted through the 2015 film ‘Right Now, Wrong Then’ and officially acknowledged their affair in 2017, referring to themselves as “lovers.”
Hong Sang-soo married a woman of the same age, referred to as A, whom he met while studying in the U.S. in 1985. They have a daughter. He filed for divorce mediation against A in 2016, but it was unsuccessful. In 2019, his divorce suit was dismissed.
Hong Sang-soo did not appeal, so he remains legally married to A. Additionally, reports indicate A was unaware of Kim Min-hee’s pregnancy.
At 64, Hong Sang-soo welcomed his first son with Kim Min-hee, who became a mother at 43.
Image source: Xportsnews, Jeonwonsa Film Co., Contents Panda
