Critic's Pick: 'Possible Love'

When we call films “urgent” or “necessary,” are we supporting the cause or the film itself? Lee Chang-dong returns with Possible Love, his first film in eight years and winner of the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival. It follows director Lee Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong) as she makes a documentary about laid-off workers, fixating on Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu) and his experience in a workers’ strike that was broken up by the police. Director Lee and her financier husband, Sang-woo (Zo In-sung), try to befriend Ho-seok’s wife, Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon), to convince Ho-seok, still deeply traumatized, to sit for an interview. Lee Chang-dong uses the skills he has developed over his career to self-reflect on his role as a storyteller. Every emotional moment is interrupted by a camera rolling in the background. The film often feels like a playground for those with the capital to make it, sold to an audience to be consumed. “Urgent” and “necessary” are labels Lee Chang-dong has spent his press tour deflecting, asking instead: “Am I worthy of telling their story?”

Nov. 11-15 at the Belcourt

2102 Belcourt Ave.