The incomparable Isabelle Huppert portrays a woman of mysterious past in her third collaboration with the Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo, known for his comedic minimalist suites. This seemingly nonchalant woman, coming from who knows where, claims to be from France and goes by the name Iris. She often sits on a bench in the park, carefully listening to a children’s cassette player. With no money or means of income, she heeds a friend’s advice to teach French. She thus becomes a tutor of two wealthy Korean women. She enjoys walking barefoot on the ground and lying on rocks. She tries to live as concretely as possible, relying as little as possible on words. Her seemingly banal “lessons” parody language conventions in the manner of French classics like “The Bald Soprano” (Ionesco) or “Exercises in Style” (Queneau). But life remains difficult. Fortunately, there is makgeolli (Korean alcoholic drink), which provides her with a daily dose of comfort. We don’t know where she came from, much less where she’s going – in her flashy dress, knitted green sweater, and straw hat on the streets of Seoul, she looks just as lost as she would in any other possible location. But who knows what undiscovered surfaces and depths her enigmatic smile and dry humor conceal. In his 37th cinematic puzzle, Hong Sang-soo invites us to spend an afternoon with her, and fill in the gaps ourselves.

Awards and festivals:

Berlinale (2024) – Special Jury Prize Silver Bear; IndieLisboa International Independent Film Festival (2024)