The Woman Who Ran

While her husband is on a business trip, a young woman meets up with three friends in the suburbs of Seoul. She visits the first two in their homes, and the third, an old acquaintance whom she happens to meet at the cinema. The Woman Who Ran, Hong Sang-soo’s 24th film in 24 years staring his wonderful muse - Kim Min-hee - premiered at the Berlinale and received the Silver Bear for Best Director. On the surface, it seems as if the Korean master is sailing off to even more minimalistic regions than usual, clearly dividing the work into three sets, with long takes and emphasis on heavy dialogue. But beneath this cover beats the wit and deep understanding of the human soul that only a special and monumental filmmaker such as Hong could carry out.