‘Past Lives’ receives 2 nods at 2024 Academy Awards

“Past Lives” (CJENM)

Korean Canadian director and playwright Celine Song’s directorial debut “Past Lives” has been nominated in two categories -- best picture and original screenplay -- at this year’s Academy Awards slated to take place on March 10.

At the 96th edition of the world’s top film festival, also known as the Oscars, eyes are on whether “Past Lives” could repeat the success of Lee Isaac Chung's heartwarming family drama “Minari," which was nominated in six categories in 2021. Its lead actor Youn Yuh-jung won the award for best supporting actress.

“Thank you so much to the Academy for this tremendous recognition -- it’s such an unbelievable honor. I am overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude. And for my first film ... crazy,” Song said in a statement delivered by local distributor CJENM.

“There’s an Eastern concept in our film called In-Yun, which is the miraculous connection and love we have with each other just by being in the same place at the same time. It’s the result of thousands of lives we’ve shared before this one,” she added.

“Past Lives” revolves around Hae-sung (Teo Yoo) and Nora (Greta Lee), deeply connected childhood friends who are pulled apart when Nora's family immigrates to the US. Time passes by and the two are finally reunited after 24 years for a fateful week. But what’s in front of them are choices to make, confronting destiny and love.

Contenders for best picture besides “Past Lives” include “American Fiction,” “Barbie,” "Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Maestro,” “Anatomy of a Fall” and "The Holdovers."

“Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Holdovers,” “May December,” and “Maestro” were also nominated for the best Original Screenplay section.

“Past Lives,” after receiving five nods at the 81st Golden Globes which took place earlier this month, has been also nominated in three categories at the 2024 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards, slated for Feb. 18. Korean Actor Teo Yoo, who made his Hollywood debut through “Past Lives,” has been nominated in the category of leading actor.

Meanwhile, Korean American director Peter Sohn also received a nomination for best animated feature at the 96th Academy Awards.

“Elemental,” a "self-portrait" by Sohn, focuses on the love story between two opposing elements -- Fire element Ember and Water element Wade -- as well as the overall theme of the sacrifices parents make for their families. The film was the most-viewed foreign film in Korea last year, drawing 5.58 million moviegoers following its release here in June 2023.

By Kim Da-sol(ddd@heraldcorp.com)