Lee Chang-dong Returns to Venice with 'Possible Love' After Eight Years
Lee Chang-dong's 'Possible Love' premieres at Venice, starring Jeon Do-yeon and Sul Kyung-gu, as the director questions cinema's role.
South Korean director Lee Chang-dong made his return to the Venice Film Festival on Sunday with his first feature in eight years, "Possible Love" (Korean title: "Ga-neung-han sa-rang"). The film, which premiered in competition, marks the director's first work since his acclaimed 2018 film "Burning."
"Possible Love" stars Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, and Cho Yeo-jeong. The story follows two married couples: Mi-ok (Jeon) and her recently laid-off husband Ho-seok (Sul), and documentary filmmaker Ye-ji (Cho) and her husband Sang-woo (Zo). Their lives become intertwined when Ye-ji begins work on a documentary about laid-off workers.
Speaking at a press conference, Lee said the eight-year gap between films left him questioning the very power of cinema. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic, which kept audiences away from theaters, made him wonder whether film could still connect people in an era of rapidly changing human relationships. The film, he explained, grew out of conversations with co-writer Oh Jung-mi about these concerns.
Lee also revealed that Ye-ji, the documentary filmmaker character, is the one closest to his own identity as a filmmaker. He said the question of how close he truly is to the people whose stories he tells—workers, minorities, student activists—has followed him since his days as a novelist. He believes this question extends to anyone whose work involves conveying others' stories, including journalists.
Sul Kyung-gu, who previously worked with Lee on "Peppermint Candy" (1999) and "Oasis" (2002), described the reunion as a return to a "beginner's heart." He said he found himself missing the tension and pressure of those earlier shoots, which he now calls "Lee Chang-dong magic." Sul noted that this time the set was surprisingly enjoyable, thanks to his fellow cast members.
"Possible Love" is one of 21 films competing for the Golden Lion at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, which runs through September 12. The jury is led by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Lee first came to Venice in 2002 with "Oasis," which earned him the Silver Lion for Best Director.