Celine Song, the director of “Past Lives,” attended the British Independent Film Awards on Sunday, where her acclaimed film was nominated for Best International Independent Feature. Although the award ultimately went to Justine Triet's “Anatomy of a Fall” (with 'All of Us Strangers' winning Best Film overall), Song served as an excellent ambassador for her passion project and graciously engaged in an illuminating chat with Gold Derby.
Past Lives
'Past Lives' follows Greta Lee and Teo Yoo as Nora and Hae Sung, two individuals who reconnect decades later after being childhood friends who took different paths in life. Song expressed gratitude for the many people who reached out to her, particularly highlighting the support from Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro. She described him as “so generous and so sweet,” emphasizing the strength she gained from his kindness as a first-time and young filmmaker. Song also shared her positive experience meeting Eric Roth, noting his sweetness and generosity.
Song said. “I also loved meeting Eric
Roth. He was so sweet and so generous.”
Celine Song openly expressed her hope that Greta Lee and Teo Yoo, on the verge of potentially entering Best Actress and Best Actor lineups, respectively, will receive recognition in the upcoming weeks and months. She emphasized that they are 'not just actors' but her 'partners' in the creative process. Throughout the shoot, these 'creative partners' consistently reminded her that they were capturing 'special' moments on camera. One particular scene, the bar scene at the end, stood out to Song.
Describing the scene as
tremendously challenging, Song highlighted the complexity of portraying
contradictory emotions—holding back while letting emotions blossom. She
acknowledged the difficulty of achieving a sense of complete effortlessness.
When actors can play conflicting emotions simultaneously, it is a phenomenal
aspect of their craft. As a director, witnessing this skill, Song recognized
its significance, stating, “As a
director, you see it, and you're like 'that's going to be in the movie.”
While Song expressed confidence in consistently receiving brilliant performances from her actors, she acknowledged that the cinematography by Shabier Kirchner in 'Past Lives' required a degree of spontaneity. The film not only showcases exquisite performances but also boasts a visual language that may not be immediately apparent in its brilliance upon first viewing. Although numerous video essays break down the film's simple yet effective cinematography, one recurring visual theme is particularly noteworthy.
Throughout the movie, there is a
deliberate visual motif: Hae Sung is consistently positioned on the left side
of the frame, while John Magaro's Arthur (Nora's husband) is consistently on
the right. Nora, portrayed by Greta Lee, finds herself in the middle, torn
between these two characters. This visual representation adds depth to the
narrative, subtly emphasizing the emotional dynamics and conflicts within the
story.
Celine Song shared that part of the
film's visual language originated during the writing process. As a seasoned
writer, she naturally structured the story in her mind. However, when it came
to the camera work, she collaborated with her Director of Photography (DP),
Shabier Kirchner, on set. The approach varied by scene, with some meticulously
choreographed and others evolving spontaneously based on the environment and
natural elements.
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| Celine Song |
Song emphasized that the success of the movie was rooted in the heart of the story and its characters, aspects that remained constant throughout every stage of production. Having a clear understanding of the story and characters, despite being a first-time filmmaker, provided a steadfast foundation. She stressed the importance of belief, surrounding oneself with supportive individuals, and maintaining trust in one's vision.
Predicting Oscar nominations,
including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay for "Past Lives,"
Song expressed that awards season, for her, is not about winning but about
garnering attention for her debut film. The focus is on reaching a wider
audience and having people watch the movie.
"Any time that you're a part of the conversation about awards, it does
mean that an independent film like this, and a film that needs to find its
audience, that has to ask for the audience to come see it, for us to then have
a lot of attention — awards give us a lot of attention. So for me, any time
that awards get people to watch a movie, that part is special. That's my
favorite part."
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