Celine Song’s directorial debut Past Lives has the kind of confidence that one would expect
from a seasoned filmmaker deep into their career. The narrative is built around the concept of in-yun, which is essentially the belief that the relationships built amongst people are ultimately the result of a series of smaller interactions in past lives. Encounters that may seem coincidental and entirely insignificant develop layers of in-yun over time. Thus, the most fruitful relationships in our lives – whether that be romantic, platonic, or otherwise – are the result of many previous lifetimes of in-yun.
Even taking this in a nonliteral sense, there is a lot to be carried from Past Lives for Christian
audiences to be mindful of on a daily basis. Every single person we meet affects us somehow, on levels subconscious and conscious, miniscule and massive. Sometimes these impacts are immediately obvious, and other times it takes a while for their impressions to be revealed. This is a two-way street. With each individual interaction, we are leaving something in our wake. It should be our goal to always leave something that is influenced by the love of Christ. We are imperfect now and forever, and we will often fall short. But it is a daily decision that we must make to keep trying to share a glimpse of God’s love wherever and whenever we can. — Thomas Manning (2023)
Arts & Faith Lists:
2023 Arts & Faith Ecumenical Jury — #5