On the heels of its premiere in competition at the Berlin Film Festival, Hong Sang-soo‘s “What Does That Nature Say” has found U.S. distribution with Cinema Guild.
The movie marks the prolific South Korean director’s 33rd movie and follows an impressive streak of six consecutive years at the Berlinale.
Cinema Guild, which recently collaborated with Hong on his previous film “A Traveler’s Needs,” will release “What Does Nature Say” in theaters in the U.S. later this year. Produced by Jeonwonsa Film, the fim is represented internationally by Finecut.
“What Does That Nature Say” follows Donghwa (Ha Seongguk), a fledgling poet in his thirties who rejects material aspirations and seeks to lead a life dedicated to truth and beauty. On a lazy afternoon, he drives his girlfriend, Junhee (Kang Soyi), back to her parents’ home outside Seoul. In the driveway, they run into her father (Kwon Haehyo), who is strangely interested in Donghwa’s dinged up old car. He takes it for a spin around the block, then invites Donghwa to stay and meet the family: him, his wife (Cho Yunhee), who also writes poetry, and Junhee’s reclusive sister (Park Miso), who practices the gayageum, a traditional string instrument. They end up wiling away the day together.
“There’s no one doing it quite like Hong Sangsoo,” said Cinema Guild president Peter Kelly. “The film is a testament to Hong’s mastery of nuance and simplicity. It is beautifully acted and deeply affecting,” Kelly continued.
The deal was negotiated by Peter Kelly of Cinema Guild with Youngjoo Suh of Finecut. Cinema Guild’s upcoming releases include Matías Piñeiro’s “You Burn Me,” Hong Sangsoo’s “By the
Stream,” Shinji Sōmai’s Love Hotel, Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich’s “The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire” and the films of João César Monteiro.