North American Premiere
In his feature debut, writer-director Oh Jung-min gives us the Kim family, from grandparents down through middle-aged offspring to Seong-Jin (Kang Seung-ho), the sole grandchild, who is something of a surrogate for the audience. The Kims hail from a small rural community, though some have left—including Seong-jin, who is trying to make it as an actor in Seoul. In depicting three occasions for reunion, Oh takes us from summer to winter, and he portrays the changes in family dynamics in tandem with the seasonal transformations of the countryside.
House of the Seasons is by turns funny, tender, and tragic. Like any family, the Kims are burdened with years of buried resentments and unacknowledged confusion, and Oh’s mapping of these problems is intricate and subtle. The film is distinguished by its emotional complexity, its fine ensemble cast, and its visual beauty—from a summer of green and brightness to the rich colours of autumn to the stark whiteness of winter, cinematographer Lee Jin-keun creates a vivid backdrop to the human turmoil.
KBS Independent Film Award, Busan 2023
Media Partner
Kang Seung Ho, Woo Sangjeon, Son Sook
South Korea
2023
In Korean with English subtitles
At International Village
At Fifth Avenue
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Credits & Director
Producer
Jeong Joeun, Jang Ji-won
Screenwriter
Oh Jung-min
Cinematography
Lee Jinkeun
Editor
Oh Jung-min
Original Music
Jang Yeonggyu, Jeong Jungyeop
Oh Jung-min
Oh Jung-min was born in 1989 in Daegu City, South Korea. He majored in Korean Literature at Sungkyunkwan University and studied filmmaking at the Korean Academy of Film Arts. He directed several short films including Yeonji (2016), LIM (2018), CUT (2018), 100 Days (2018), and Coming of Age (2018). House of the Seasons (2023) is his debut feature film.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Porcelain War
In Canada we cannot truly comprehend a scenario in which our country is invaded and civilians compelled to take up arms. Yet for Ukrainians, this is the reality. In Porcelain War, three artists elect to stay and fight -- with cameras, yes, and with guns.
Flow
In this wordless and gorgeously atmospheric animated feature, a solitary black cat survives a tsunami and must confront his fear of water whilst sailing through a flooded world with a group of misfit animals. An enchanting adventure film for all ages. Rated: G.
The Day of the Locust
Midnight Cowboy director John Schlesinger turned his gaze on Hollywood in this rich adaptation of Nathanael West's famous satirical novel, in the latest screening in our Film Studies series, Hollywood Through the Looking Glass.
Queens (Reinas)
Early 1990s Lima, Perú. Charming absentee father Carlos “El Loco” Molina tries to earn his way back into his daughters’ lives before their mother moves them to Minnesota. A tender family drama, Reinas won the Generation Kplus Grand Prix at Berlinale 2024.
