‘Past Lives’ is a Story About Friendship and Relationships Evolving Over Time

{By: Lauren Trunfio} Past Lives, by director Celine Song, is a heartfelt film about two deeply connected friends (Nora and Hae) that are torn apart after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. Spanning from different generations in their lives, this film earnestly portrays the relationship that these two have had, and what they mean to each other throughout significant periods in their lifetime. The film begins with both Nora and Hae on a childhood date, and after a wholesome period of time spent together, Nora separates from Hae as her family flies back to South Korea. Then, the film cuts to 12 years later, where Nora begins college in NYC, and she is reconnected with Hae after learning that he’s been looking to reconnect with her. After the two reconnect, they instantly become inseparable and form a lifelong bond and friendship. We then are cut to 12 years later, present day Nora and Hae, where they share their deep connection with their group of friends. 

This unexpected and beautiful film was such a pleasure to watch, as it gives us an intimate look at past and present relationships, and how dynamics change over time. This film is exceptionally realistic, as it shows us how much time changes us. Celine Song takes us through the journey of these two characters, and pays such respect to the art of storytelling, that it’s hard to walk away from this film without falling in love with it, and the message behind it. This delicate and touching tale deserves to be seen all over the world, and we cannot wait to continue celebrating it!