Prolific auteur's 34th feature selected for Panorama section, continuing unprecedented festival relationship

  
A still image from ″The Day She Returns″ (provided by Jeonwonsa Film Co)

Hong Sang-soo's 34th feature film "The Day She Returns" has been officially invited to the 76th Berlin International Film Festival. The film will have its world premiere in the Panorama section, the festival's non-competitive program, when Berlinale opens on February 12. With this invitation, Hong achieves a remarkable milestone: seven consecutive years of presenting new work in Berlin, from "The Woman Who Ran" in 2020 through 2026. This sustained relationship with one of the world's three major film festivals reaffirms Hong's standing as one of cinema's most consistent auteurs on the international stage.

"The Day She Returns" follows an actress who, after pausing her career for marriage, returns to acting by completing an independent film. The narrative centers on three interviews she gives ahead of the film's release, followed by an acting class where she's asked to reenact those conversations. The film explores the profession of acting itself and the boundaries between performance and reality.

Song Seon-mi, who has collaborated with Hong on "The Day After" (2006), "On the Beach at Night Alone" (2017), and "Our Day" (2023), leads the cast. She is joined by Cho Yun-hee, Park Mi-so, Ha Sung-kook, and Shin Seok-ho. Actress Kim Min-hee is credited as production supervisor.

Tricia Tuttle, Executive Director of the Berlin International Film Festival, praised the film in her invitation letter: "This film carries a strong sense of compassion and humor. It explores what it means to live in the public eye, particularly through narratives that control perceptions of women and fame. It's an elegantly crafted work, and actress Song Seon-mi's performance is powerful."

Hong's connection to Berlin runs deep. This marks his 13th invitation to the festival, having competed eight times in the main competition and appearing five times in non-competitive sections. His Berlin achievements are impressive: Kim Min-hee won the Silver Bear for Best Actress for "On the Beach at Night Alone" in 2017, followed by Hong's Silver Bear for Best Director for "The Woman Who Ran" (2020) and Best Screenplay for "Introduction" (2021). Most recently, both "The Novelist's Film" (2022) and "A Traveler's Needs" (2024) received the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, marking two wins in three years.

The Panorama section is one of Berlinale's major programs. Unlike the competition, it does not award prizes but serves as a platform for introducing international films of diverse forms and themes. Selected works combine artistic merit with social relevance, attracting significant attention from audiences and industry professionals alike. 

Hong Sang-soo's seven consecutive years at Berlin represents more than a personal achievement—it demonstrates a viable model for auteur cinema's sustainability. His creative system of producing one to two features annually, reaching 34 films to date, occupies a unique position in the international festival circuit. His approach—low-budget production, rapid shooting, and consistent aesthetic—offers an alternative path to mainstream cinema's demands for large-scale capital and extended production timelines.

The selection for Panorama rather than Competition presents an interesting curatorial perspective. Berlin has consistently placed Hong's work across both competitive and non-competitive sections, suggesting a programming strategy that prioritizes each film's character and the festival's overall composition over award competition. The relationship between Hong and Berlin has evolved beyond simple invitation-and-award dynamics into a mutually defining, interdependent connection.

"The Day She Returns" will be released in South Korea in the first half of 2025 following its Berlin world premiere. Further festival appearances are anticipated after the Berlin screening. It will be worth watching how international critics respond to Song Seon-mi's "powerful" performance, as noted by the festival director, and the film's exploration of fame and public scrutiny through a female actress's perspective. Once again at Berlin, Hong Sang-soo continues asking his questions about cinema in his own distinctive way.

Sources
• Segye Ilbo, "Hong Sang-soo's 34th Feature 'The Day She Returns' Invited to Berlin Film Festival",  2026.01.15
https://www.segye.com/newsView/20260115507596

• Nate News, "Hong Sang-soo's latest film set for world premiere in Berlin", 2026.01.15
https://news.nate.com/view/20260115n10278