In Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003) by Kim Ki-duk, the changing seasons serve as a guiding thread for a contemplative portrait of life, growth, and impermanence. Set in a floating monastery surrounded by water and mountains, the film follows a monk and his young apprentice as the years pass. Each season brings new experiences, moral lessons, and inevitable transformations.
Kim Ki-duk tells this story with minimal dialogue, relying on rich imagery and symbolism. Nature itself becomes a reflection of the human soul, where beauty and suffering are inextricably linked. The film invites contemplation, leaving much open to the viewer’s interpretation.
The cycle of the seasons highlights both the constant change and repetition of life. Through subtle details—a falling leaf, melting ice, a reflection in the water—Kim captures the passage of time and its impact on people and their surroundings. The film’s quiet storytelling and simplicity create a meditative experience, while beneath the serene imagery, themes of guilt, redemption, and rebirth quietly unfold.
The film will be screened in our theater on March 21 and 24—a fitting moment as spring begins once again.
★★★★★ – The Guardian
"A hypnotic and spiritual film that lingers long after watching."
★★★★★ – The New York Times
"Rarely has the impermanence of life been portrayed with such subtlety and poignancy."