© 2024 Jeonwonsa Film Co.
“A Traveler’s Needs,” directed by celebrated auteur Hong Sangsoo, is a thought-provoking exploration of how engaging with foreign concepts—be it culture, language, or individuals—can profoundly shift our perspectives and challenge deeply held beliefs and culturally ingrained structures. This film navigates the philosophical and existential terrains of identity, expression and interpretation by focussing on language acquisition and reflections on art. Through a series of conversations, it presents a case for the enriching influence of embracing the unfamiliar, suggesting that our encounters with the unknown can lead to profound self-reflection and a broader understanding of life’s possibilities.
Director: Hong Sangsoo
Year: 2024
Country: South Korea
Runtime: 90 minutes
At the start of the film, the viewer is immediately introduced to the strange world of the film’s ever-compelling main character Iris, portrayed by Isabelle Huppert, in a scene that captures the essence of this film’s exploration of human emotions and personal introspection. The film commences in the middle of a conversation between Iris and I-sung (Kim Seung-yun), followed by I-sung playing the piano for Iris. Afterward, Iris asks I-sung a series of questions regarding her feelings about her piano playing. Not convinced by surface-level answers from I-sung, who says she is happy, Iris digs deeper by asking a series of questions about what I-sung really felt, eventually discovering the true inner world of her conversation partner. This initial interaction, where Iris probes I-sung about the deeper feelings evoked by playing the piano, sets the stage for a narrative rich in emotional depth and self-discovery. Iris’s insistence on understanding the true emotions behind I-sung’s annoyance, rather than superficial happiness, showcases the film’s focus on the complexities of the human psyche and the constant battle to prove oneself to others.
Iris, a character defined by her free spirit and obscured past, brings a unique perspective to the Korean characters she encounters. Her day-to-day activities, characterized by an unfettered freedom to simply exist—whether lying on rocks, playing the recorder poorly in a park, or standing barefoot in a puddle in public—presents a stark contrast to the more structured and logical disposition of the Korean characters. This dichotomy highlights cultural differences and challenges the traditional norms, making the characters, and by extension the audience, question the reliability and motivations of someone who defies societal expectations so boldly without revealing any information about themselves, only to come to the realization that all this might not matter when our lives can be significantly altered from the interaction with foreign perspectives regardless.
Amidst her interactions with nature and poetry, Iris’s role as a French teacher to several Koreans offers an intriguing glimpse into her philosophy of life and learning. Eschewing conventional teaching methods, she opts for a more personal approach, engaging her students in English to uncover their true emotions, which she then captures in French. This method emphasizes the emotional impact of language and suggests a more profound engagement with foreign cultures and languages, moving beyond the impersonal and standard methods of learning.
Hong’s meticulous craft extends far beyond the the film itself, as its central theme is reflected even in its unconventional poster, which provides a lengthy narrative summary of the film. By reading the poster, one can tell almost exactly what happens in the film before having watched it, but the emotional and philosophical aspects remain unknown. This encourages the viewer to not simply look at the surface-level plot that is presented in “A Traveler’s Needs” but to truly engage with it on a deeper level, similarly to how Iris interacts with her students.
Isabelle Huppert’s performance, as Iris breathes life into this highly fascinating character. Her performance offers a refreshing departure from the cold and heavy roles she is typically known for. In her third collaboration with Hong, Huppert portrays Iris with a free-spirited joy and a philosophical depth, finding perfect balance between the comic and the serious, embodying a strange and strong-minded philosophical enigma. Her portrayal, seemingly marked by improvised dialogue, lends authenticity to Iris’s character, compelling viewers to reflect on their own views of life and the ways in which we interact with those around us.
With a prolific career featuring one or two new films nearly every year, Hong Sangsoo continues to innovate within the cinematic landscape. “A Traveler’s Needs” stands out not just for its narrative but also for its aesthetic choices. Shot on what appears to be low-quality video, the film prioritizes narrative and thematic depth over visual quality, allowing the character of Iris to shine through in a mundane setting. Hong’s use of repetition and focus on everyday moments further enriches the film’s exploration of societal norms and the influence of foreign perspectives.
“A Traveler’s Needs” once again proves Hong Sangsoo’s ability to craft films that are both thought-provoking and innovative, both structurally and existentially. Through the lens of Iris’s interactions and the philosophical content woven throughout, Hong delivers a narrative that encourages reflection on our look at life that would otherwise be taken for granted.
“A Traveler’s Needs” premiered at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival as part of the festival’s main competition, where it won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize.
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