Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring

Kim Ki-duk is one of South Korea’s most productive and versatile directors, and this is arguably his most visually stunning film. Set on a temple boat on a small lake, we start in spring when a monk teaches a boy some basic ethic-philosophical lessons. Their relationship us the backbone of the story, which plays out over five seasons depicted in separate tableaus. When a young woman comes to stay on the boat for health reasons, love gets into the equation and ethical dilemmas arise.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring spellbound audiences around the world upon its release in 2004, including in Norway where it screened at Films from the South and received a theatrical release. To quote our programming note from back then: “If we should classify films as masterpieces, this would definitely be one of them”.

Kim Ki-duk (b. 1960) studied fine arts in Paris in 1990-92 and made his first feature film Crocodile in 1996. Spring, Summer… was a major international breakthrough, and he has gone on to win awards at major international film festivals, including the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival for Pietà (2012).