A TRAVELER'S NEEDS (2024)

KOREA

90 MIN

K-CINEMA

FICTION, DRAMA

A comedy of improbable encounters and unlikely language lessons, A Traveler’s Needs marks the third collaboration between HONG and Huppert (following 2012’s In Another Country and 2017’s Claire’s Camera). This time Huppert plays Iris, a woman who finds herself adrift in Seoul and without any means to make ends meet, turns to teaching French via a très peculiar method. Through a series of encounters, as we grow to know more about Iris and her situation, the mysteries of her circumstances only deepen.

A charming troupe of Hong regulars complete the cast, including LEE Hye-young as one of Huppert's students and KWON Hae-hyo as her flirty husband. A film about meaning and connection and the comfort of makgeolli, A Traveler’s Needs, offers a surprising take on inter-continental rendez-vous and continues one of the most unique actor-director collaborations in contemporary cinema.

‍THE CINEMA GUILD

SCREENING

Closing Program

CINÉMA MODERNE

June 7, 2025

7:00 pm

LANGUAGE

Korean w. English Subtitles

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Director

HONG SANGSOO

Hong Sangsoo (홍상수) is a celebrated South Korean filmmaker known for his minimalist, introspective films that explore human relationships, chance encounters, and the fleeting nature of memory. A leading figure of contemporary Korean cinema, he has gained international acclaim for his distinctive style—marked by naturalistic dialogue, improvisational acting, and a contemplative pace. His latest work, A Traveler's Needs (2024), starring Isabelle Huppert, continues his exploration of cultural displacement and existential curiosity. Hong’s films often revolve around the lives of artists, writers, and wanderers, blending humor and melancholy with subtle formal experimentation. Since his 1996 debut The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well, he has developed a prolific body of work, frequently premiering at major festivals like Cannes, Berlin, and Locarno. His signature techniques—repetition, narrative ellipses, and soju-soaked conversations—have influenced a generation of filmmakers.

Program curated by

MI-JEONG LEE