Korea's Finecut sells Hong Sangsoo's 'The Day She Returns' in France, Spain, China

Korean sales representative Finecut has secured additional deals for Hong Sangsoo’s Berlin-featured film The Day She Returns, including agreements with Carlotta Films in France, Atalante in Spain, and Hugoeast in China.

This movie, which made its debut in the Panorama section at this year’s Berlin film festival, has been acquired by the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in the UK, Cola Films in Taiwan, and BKS Cinema in Finland. 

Earlier, it was sold to Cinema Guild for distribution across North America.

Shot in black-and-white and featuring Song Seon-mi, Cho Yunhee, and Park Mi-so, the story revolves around a woman who has just wrapped up filming an indie movie and must give three interviews about it. 

When prompted to recreate these interviews during an acting workshop, she finds herself unable to recall them.

Finecut is also managing global sales, excluding the French-speaking regions of Europe and Africa, Luxembourg, and South Korea, for July Jung's Dora, which is making its debut at Cannes Directors Fortnight.

Jung's third movie narrates the journey of a girl battling a nervous breakdown who discovers her own strength amidst a summer marked by disdain and humiliation.

Emerging Korean talent Kim Doyeon (Idiot Girls And School Ghost: School Anniversary) portrays Dora, with celebrated Japanese actress Ando Sakura (Monster, Shoplifters) taking on the role of an old family acquaintance.

Jung stands as the first Korean female filmmaker with three consecutive Cannes-selected feature films since her debut A Girl At My Door, presented in the Un Certain Regard section in 2014, while her second film Next Sohee served as the closing feature of Cannes Critics Week in 2022.

Finecut’s lineup for Cannes also features Park Hoon-jung’s Tristes Tropiques, a contender that won the Silver Raven Award at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival; an upcoming animated 3D piece titled Long Long Night; and a Japanese horror-thriller named Wash Away.