One of the most exquisite romances to grace our screens in recent years is Celine Song’s Past Lives, now in theatres. Song explores the theme of romantic past lives and the Korean phrase “in-yeon” or destiny. Theek hai, that’s a staple of Indian cinema and especially Bollywood, we just call it janam janam ka saath —a relationship of lifetimes—and kismet—these are standard cinematic tropes, like aloo mutter. But Song transforms the standard love triangle into a reflection so delicate, wistful and melancholic, playing with the possibilities of what might have been, no wonder it was such a favourite at the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals. It’s in English and Korean with English subtitles. Catch it as soon as possible.

Song, a Korean playwright who immigrated to Canada and then to the US, wrote and directed her debut film drawing on an autobiographical situation, when she once found herself interpreting between her American husband and her childhood sweetheart visiting from South Korea. Past Lives’ clever opening sequence lays bare this dilemma right away: an Asian woman sits between two men—one American, the other Asian. We overhear people at the bar speculating on their relationship. One suggests that the Asians are tourists, with their American friend. Or is the American a third wheel, given how engrossed the Asian couple is in each other, and so on.