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Return to Seoul
Institute of Contemporary Arts
A young Korean woman reads a map while she stands on a quiet street of Seoul, under a clear umbrella
Return to Seoul, dir. Davy Chou, France / Germany / Belgium / Cambodia / Qatar 2022, 119 min., French, Korean & English with English subtitles, 15

Davy Chou’s Return to Seoul, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, is an unpredictable and refreshingly authentic story of a young woman’s search for identity, and of the ever-shifting relationships that shape it.

Freddie (Park Ji-min) was adopted when she was very young, born in South Korea and raised in France. She’s magnetic, spirited and hard to pin down; never in one place, or with one person, for long enough to get attached. At 25 years old, Freddie makes an impulsive decision to visit Seoul for the first time since her adoption, in an attempt to reconnect with her biological parents and the culture she had to leave behind.

Featuring a revelatory performance from newcomer Park Ji-min, this bittersweet journey of self-discovery sees Freddie travel from South Korea’s vibrant, neon-soaked capital to its tranquil port cities, in search of a better understanding of her own identity, culture and home.
 
Also: A Q&A screening with Laure Badufle on Sat 8 July

All films are ad-free and 18+ unless otherwise stated, and start with a 10 min. curated selection of trailers.

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