Solastalgia

Director  LEESONG Hee-il

Korea | 2024 | 96min | Color | Drama | Korean

 LEESONG Hee-il’s New Film Solastalgia Selected as the Closing Film of the 14th SIPFF

 World Premiere of a Dazzling Coming-of-Age Story of Two Young Men

The Latest in LEESONG Hee-il’s Quintessential Youth Film Series, Following <No Regret> and <Night Flight >

Hope Blooms Amid Ashes in a World Left in Ruins

Featuring a Compelling Ensemble Performance,

Showcasing New Talent PARK Kyeong-bok and HONG Seong-gwan 

LEESONG Hee-il’s Solastalgia will have its world premiere as the Closing Film of the 14th SIPFF. Set in a city in Gangwon Province, the site of Korea’s largest recorded wildfire, the story follows two film students documenting the disaster for their graduation project. When conflicts lead the rest of the crew to return to Seoul, only the two protagonists remain, and the story further unfolds as the two grow closer. Over time, the younger one discovers that this place is the other’s hometown, revealing buried truths and hidden secrets.

Building on his expertise in queer filmmaking, director LEESONG Hee-il brings his unique perspective to life through two well-crafted central characters. The contrast between Gangwon Province’s tranquil blue sea and fire-scorched mountains mirrors the protagonists' emotional turmoil while carefully addressing both lingering scars of the past and pressing environmental issues. In depicting the journey of young film students, LEESONG skillfully intertwines LGBTQ+ themes with environmental concerns, showcasing his distinctive depth and vision as a master of queer filmmaking. The isolated, small-town setting—far removed from city glamour—intensifies the protagonists' hidden emotions, drawing viewers deeper into the story.

A decade after Night Flight (2014), Solastalgia marks LEESONG Hee-il’s much-anticipated return to queer cinema, delivering the artistry fans have been waiting for. Starring PARK Kyeong-bok as Seung-hoon and HONG Seong-gwan as Ji-hoon, the film is set to resonate deeply with audiences drawn to the director’s signature focus on queer youth themes. Despite the challenges of producing queer feature films in Korea, Solastalgia has garnered significant interest, and its closing night screening is expected to sell out.

Director LEESONG Hee-il is a pioneering figure in Korean cinema, known for breaking new ground with queer films. His debut feature, No Regret (2006), offered a bold and honest depiction of love and desire among LGBTQ+ men in Korean society, earning critical and popular acclaim. Drawing around 40,000 viewers, it set an unprecedented box office record for a queer melodrama in Korea, solidifying LEESONG’s reputation among queer film enthusiasts. From his short film Everyday Like a Sunday (1998) to feature films like Break Away (2009), White Night (2012), and Night Flight (2014), LEESONG’s work has been screened and awarded at numerous international festivals, including the Berlinale.

Synopsis

In 2022, the largest wildfire in the history of the Korean Peninsula erupted in Donghae City. A group of film students are filming a documentary for their graduation project at the site of the disaster in Gangwon Province. After a conflicted crew leaves for Seoul, only the director and cinematographer remain on site. Over time, the director's past secrets are revealed, and the secret feelings between the director and cinematographer are slowly revealed.

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