Korean Cinema NOW | A Traveler’s Needs | 여행자의 필요

2024 ‧ Drama, Comedy ‧ 1h 30min ‧ PG-13

Winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in 2024.

View the trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT3b_8KeRjk

Hong Sang-soo's A Traveler's Needs is a delightful, yet subtly perplexing comedy starring Isabelle Huppert as Iris, a mysterious French woman adrift in Seoul. With no clear means of support, Iris takes up teaching French using a highly unconventional method: she avoids textbooks, preferring philosophical conversations and personal inquiries translated onto index cards. The film follows Iris through a series of casual, often awkward encounters with her students and other locals, all while she navigates her new life, often fueled by makgeolli. This charming and enigmatic exploration of cultural outsiderdom and communication earned significant critical acclaim, winning the prestigious Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in 2024.

Directed by Hong Sang-soo
Presented in Korean with English subtitles

Accommodation: If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at outreachkorea@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.