A comedy of improbable encounters and unlikely language lessons, A Traveler's Needs marks the third collaboration between Hong and Huppert (following 2012's In Another Country and 2017's Claire's Camera). This time Huppert plays Iris, a woman who finds herself adrift in Seoul and without any means to make ends meet, turns to teaching French via a very peculiar method. Through a series of encounters, as we grow to know more about Iris and her situation, the mysteries of her circumstances only deepen.
A charming troupe of Hong regulars complete the cast, including Lee Hyeyoung as one of Huppert's students and Kwon Haehyo as her flirty husband. A film about meaning and connection and the comfort of makgeolli, A Traveler's Needs, offers a surprising take on inter-continental rendezvous and continues one of the most unique actor-director collaborations in contemporary cinema.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
- Q+A w/ Isabelle Huppert and Ari Aster at Film Forum (2024) (Audio)
- It Snows on You (2024, 2 mins) directed by Hong Sangsoo
- Theatrical Trailer
- Booklet featuring essay by writer and translator Jawni Han
- In Korean, with optional English subtitles