A ‘grown-up’ love triangle

Song’s debut film shows what romantic unrest feels like for ordinary people

The first scene in “Past Lives” — the crushingly beautiful new film from Celine Song — was inspired by a moment in the Korean Canadian filmmaker’s own life.

Years ago, at a bar in New York, Song sat between her Korean childhood sweetheart and her white husband, translating, while the two engaged in conversation.

“I felt something really special passing through us,” said Song, 36, who is also a playwright. “It was such a truthful moment. That feeling helped guide the whole film.”

“Past Lives,” which debuted to raves at Sundance and opened at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Thursday, flashes back to the late ’90s, showing two Korean childhood sweethearts who share a deep bond. When Nora (Seung Ah Moon) moves to Canada with her family, she leaves behind a heartbroken Hae Sung (Seung Min Yim). Twelve years later, they find each other through Facebook: Nora (Greta Lee, already attracting Oscar buzz) is living in New York, while Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) is working in Seoul. Another 12 years after that, Hae Sung tracks down Nora — now married and a playwright — for their first in-person meeting since they were teenagers.

“I’ve always been interested in the way that time and space takes its toll in an ordinary person’s life,” said Song. “The movie spans decades and continents. People don’t really take into account the way that sci-fi and fantasy exists naturally in the way that we live — like breaking up with someone, skipping town and starting a new life elsewhere.”

Like Nora, Song left Korea at age 12 and immigrated to Toronto before moving to New York in her twenties. “I had a very dramatic immigration (experience) of leaving a whole culture, language and an entire continent,” said Song. “But I think you can have as much connection to the story by being somebody who left Hamilton to move to Toronto. The heart of the film is about the way that time completely changes someone, but you somehow also remain the same person at your core.”

The film introduces a beautiful concept — “inyeon,” a Korean word — that weaves together the story. Inyeon is the idea that every meeting between people, whether it’s a fleeting moment with a stranger on the street or a committed romantic relationship, is predestined from our past lives.

Song was fixated on describing that feeling like you’ve known this person in many lives before. “The relationship that Hae Sung has with Nora isn’t one that can be tangibly described — it’s an ineffable feeling that you have with someone that ties you to each other in this life in some way,” said Song. “Time and space can’t stop the connection from enduring.”

“It’s a concept that helps you feel the weight and the depth of every relationship that you have in your life, and everybody you encounter,” said Song, even in the long silences that punctuate the scenes between Nora and Hae Sung.

The film may not be what viewers expect from a romantic drama. There aren’t overt conflicts, jealousy or fights. Song said she was interested in the structure of a love triangle — to see “deep love and care,” while showing what romantic unrest feels like for ordinary people.

“We’re watching these characters do their best to behave maturely, and care for each other and be adults in the film. It is just about treating each other really well, even though it is very difficult at times,” said Song. “I think that amazing drama can come out of that.”