A new chapter for Hong Sang-soo: ‘By the Stream’ set to captivate North American audiences

A minimalist maestro returns

The latest cinematic offering from the prolific South Korean director Hong Sang-soo, titled By the Stream (also known as “Suyoocheon”), is poised to make waves in North American theaters next year. This announcement comes as a result of a deal struck between Brooklyn-based distributor Cinema Guild and Seoul-based sales agent Finecut, both of whom have a history of handling Hong’s previous works.

Festival circuit debut

By the Stream will have its world premiere this month at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival, where it will compete for top honors. Following its debut, the film is set to grace the screens at the New York Film Festival, with additional festival appearances anticipated in the coming weeks.

A return to familiar themes

Hong Sang-soo is renowned for his micro-budget, minimalist dramas that often revolve around intricate conversations, serendipitous encounters, and strong female protagonists. His latest film marks his 32nd directorial effort and revisits the academic settings seen in earlier works like Oki’s Movie (2010) and Our Sunhi (2013).

Plot and characters

The narrative of By the Stream centers on Jeonim, an artist and lecturer at a women’s university, who finds herself embroiled in a scandal involving her students. In a bid to navigate the fallout, she enlists the help of her uncle, Chu Sieon, a blacklisted actor-director, to direct a skit for the university’s festival. As the story unfolds, Sieon develops feelings for Jeonim’s colleague, Professor Jeong, a textile professor, adding layers of complexity to the plot.

“In the wake of a scandal involving several of her students, Jeonim (portrayed by Kim Minhee), an artist and lecturer at a women’s university, asks her uncle Chu Sieon (Kwon Haehyo) to step in and direct a short play for the skit festival put on by her department. Her uncle is an actor-director, recently blacklisted after a scandal of his own. He decides to direct the short play because of a similar experience directing a play at the same university 40 years earlier. It doesn’t take long before Sieon develops feelings for Jeonim’s colleague, Professor Jeong (Cho Yunhee), a textile professor. Meanwhile, the circumstances surrounding the scandal grow more complicated, the moon waxes in the sky each night, and every morning Jeonim goes to the stream and sketches to grasp its patterns.”

A cinematic experience

Cinema Guild President Peter Kelly expressed his enthusiasm for the film, noting that despite its two-hour runtime, By the Stream is packed with rich colors, intricate compositions, and a multitude of narrative possibilities. This film promises to be a visual and emotional feast for audiences.

Expanding the catalog

In addition to acquiring By the Stream, Cinema Guild has also secured the rights to two of Hong’s earlier films: Right Now, Wrong Then (2015) and In Another Country (2012). With these acquisitions, Cinema Guild now holds the rights to 24 of Hong’s 32 films, including all but one of his works since 2008.

A celebrated filmmaker

Hong Sang-soo’s recent works have garnered significant acclaim on the international festival circuit. His early 2024 film A Traveler’s Needs, an elliptical tale about a French teacher in Seoul, won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Award at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year. Last year, his film In Water was featured in Berlin’s Encounters section, following three consecutive years of competing in Berlin’s main competition with The Woman Who Ran (which earned the Silver Bear for best director), Introduction (which won the Silver Bear for best screenplay), and The Novelist’s Film (which won a Grand Jury Prize).

A legacy of storytelling

Hong’s 2018 film Hotel by the River also made its mark at the Locarno Film Festival, further cementing his reputation as a master storyteller. With By the Stream, Hong continues to explore the complexities of human relationships and the beauty of everyday moments, offering audiences a chance to immerse themselves in his unique cinematic world.

For those eager to catch a glimpse of By the Stream, you can watch the trailer here.

Hong Sang-soo’s films are a testament to the power of minimalist storytelling, where every conversation and encounter holds the potential to reveal profound truths about the human experience. As we await the North American release of By the Stream, it’s clear that Hong’s work continues to resonate with audiences around the world, offering a window into the delicate interplay of emotions and relationships that define our lives.