Much of my movie unfolds in New York City, a place that has been my home since 2011 when I embarked on my journey as a playwright. New York, like for countless others, is a profound love of my life. Significant portions of the film are also set in Seoul, a city I once called home, a place that had almost vanished from my memory since my departure in 2000, until I returned in the autumn of 2021 to bring this movie to life. There are also moments captured in Toronto, a city that witnessed much of my childhood, teenage years, and early adulthood. Even Montauk makes an appearance, a place that altered my life in unforeseen ways, details of which I will refrain from revealing here to avoid spoilers before you experience the film.
New York City: The Heart of a Filmmaker’s Journey
For Celine Song, New York City is more than just a backdrop; it’s a character in her life and, consequently, in her filmmaking. Having made the city her home to pursue her playwriting aspirations, Song’s connection with New York is deeply personal. This affection and intimate understanding of the city permeates her work, lending an authentic and lived-in feel to the New York scenes in her movie. The energy and dynamism of NYC, a melting pot of stories and experiences, naturally finds its way into the narrative, reflecting Song’s own journey and artistic evolution within this urban landscape.
Seoul: Rediscovering Memories Through the Lens
Seoul represents a poignant return to roots for Celine Song. The city, once a formative home, had become a distant memory after years of living abroad. Filmmaking became the catalyst for Song to revisit Seoul, not just as a tourist, but as an artist seeking to reconnect with a part of her past. This journey of rediscovery is palpable in the movie, as Seoul is portrayed with both the nostalgia of memory and the fresh perspective of someone seeing it anew. The emotional resonance of returning to a place that holds buried memories is a central theme, mirroring Song’s own experience of filmmaking as a process of personal excavation.
Toronto and Montauk: Echoes of Growth and Transformation
Toronto and Montauk are presented as equally significant locations in Celine Song’s personal geography, each holding unique chapters of her life. Toronto, witnessing her formative years, signifies growth and development, elements that are subtly woven into the narrative when the story touches upon this location. Montauk, described as life-changing, hints at pivotal personal experiences that, while not explicitly detailed, contribute to the emotional depth of the film. These locations are not mere settings; they are emotional landmarks that have shaped Celine Song’s perspective and artistic voice, each contributing to the multifaceted tapestry of her film.
A Cinematic World Tour: Sharing Personal Origins
Celine Song views the release of her movie as a “diplomatic world tour,” a fitting metaphor for sharing such a deeply personal work with a global audience. She sees herself as a “foreign dignitary,” presenting this “little document about the cities I contain within myself” to new audiences across the world. This perspective highlights the intimate and autobiographical nature of her filmmaking. Song isn’t just showcasing a movie; she’s offering a piece of herself, inviting viewers to understand her origins and the emotional landscapes that have shaped her storytelling.
Ultimately, Celine Song hopes that the movie transcends being solely about her personal journey. Her aspiration is for the audience to embark on their own internal voyages while watching. She wishes for viewers to connect with the film on a deeply personal level, prompting reflections on their own “places they might have gone,” “places you’ve been without even realizing it,” or even “places you feel maybe, perhaps, inexplicably, you’ve been in another life.” Song encourages audiences to experience the movie in their own cities, wherever they may be, and to recognize the vastness and smallness of their own existence – acknowledging that we are all simultaneously “multitudes” and yet “rooted so cruelly and beautifully to one particular spot in space and time.” Through her film, Celine Song invites us to contemplate the profound interconnectedness of personal geography and the universal human experience.
