Quick Links
Since the 1990s, the Sundance Film Festival has held the premieres of several Oscar-nominated films each year. Directors like Todd Field, Jane Campion, and Richard Linklater have screened award-winning movies there, and films like Get Out, Call Me By Your Name, and Coda have all received their first bit of recognition in Park City. At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, several films were praised by critics for their innovative storytelling, but only one movie sticks out. Past Lives has already been lauded as an early frontrunner in this year’s Oscar race. From director Celine Song in her debut feature film, Past Lives stars Greta Lee (Russian Doll), Teo Yoo (Leto), and John Magaro (The Big Short) in a story about two people who were torn apart by circumstance but reconnected by fate. For anybody who can’t wait to see what is already being described as one of the best movies of the year, here’s everything we know about how, when, and where you can watch this moving story.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on August 23 with new streaming information.
Past Lives
Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrested apart after Nora's family emigrates from South Korea. Twenty years later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront notions of love and destiny.
- Release Date
- June 23, 2023
- Director
- Celine Song
- Cast
- Greta Lee , John Magaro , Teo Yoo , Moon Seung-ah
- Runtime
- 106 minutes
- Main Genre
- Drama
What Was the Initial Release Date for Past Lives?
Past Lives opened in wide release in theaters across North America on June 23, 2023.
The drama previously premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21 and received a limited theatrical release in theaters in Los Angeles and New York on June 2, 2023.
Was Past Lives Be Released in Theaters?
Past Lives was initially released exclusively in theaters. The film would later be available on digital platforms.
Will Past Lives Be Available on Streaming?
Unfortunately, A24 has not released any information on when Past Lives will be released digitally. The film will likely be available to stream on the newly rebranded Paramount+ With Showtime, which is where A24's most recent titles end up streaming. The titleswill likely join other recent A24 titles on the streaming service including Pearl, The Inspection, and the Best-Picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once. If you'd rather buy the film digitally, Past Lives is currently available on all digital platforms including iTunes, Google Play, and Prime Video. You can purchase the film digitally by clicking the button below.
Watch the Trailer for Past Lives
A trailer for Past Lives was released on February 22nd. We find our protagonists living separate lives. Nora is in America and has a happy, healthy relationship with a white American man. Meanwhile, Hae Sung has stayed in South Korea. Nora introduces the audience to the concept of In-Yun, something that will be integral to the plot. Meaning providence or fate is brushed off by Nora as a tactic used by Koreans to seduce people but proves to be real. Seeing Nora and Hae Sung finally together for the first time in years, their connection can’t be denied As Nora says, “If two strangers walk by each other on the street and their clothes accidentally brush that means there have been 8,000 layers of In-Yun between them.”
What is the Plot of Past Lives?
The official plot synopsis from Past Lives reads:
Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrest apart after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. Two decades later, they are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life, in this heartrending modern romance.
Other Movies Like Past Lives
To help you out while you wait for your local theater to screen this Sundance gem, check out these three other films that explore the nature of unconsummated love, modern romance, and the way adult responsibilities are often at odds with true romance.
In the Mood for Love (2000) - From Wong Kar Wai, one of the greatest directors of the last 30 years, In the Mood for Love is often picked as one of the best films of all time. Set in 1960s Hong Kong, the film follows a man and a woman who lives in the same apartment building and discover that their respective spouses are having an affair together. They bond over their shared trauma and slowly develop feelings for each other, but their deep seeded fears of becoming like their spouses keep them from consummating their love. Featuring brilliantly heartbreaking performances from both Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung, this film is one of the best depictions of chaste love.
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) - Not many films from the 1960s can still boast of having a tremendous effect on storytelling, but The Umbrellas of Cherbourg can. Starring Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo, the film follows two young lovers, Genevieve and Guy whose idyllic romance seems exempt from harm. However, when Guy is drafted for military service in Algeria, the two are separated and Genevieve’s mother’s disapproval compounded with the unending war turns a love that once seemed impossible. Featuring a heartbreaking score by Michel Legrand and beautiful cinematography from director Jacques Demy, this musical will have you in tears.
Her (2013) - The perils of modern romance are beautifully depicted in one of the most talked about romances of the past ten years. Her follows Theodore, a lonely middle-aged man who has been unlucky in love for years. When he starts talking to a new AI system on his phone, he begins to fall in love and the boundaries of humanity are tested. Joaquin Phoenix gives a sensitive and endearing performance as someone struggling to understand how to find love in a world that seeks to isolate us. Meanwhile, Scarlett Johannson as Samantha, the AI love interest, gives one of the greatest voice-acting performances of all time.