In her home, In-seon keeps the ashes of her deceased husband, who committed suicide three years earlier. As the anniversary of his death approaches, she makes the difficult decision to spread his ashes and let him go. She asks her daughter Su-yeon, who had been studying in Seoul, to return to their home in Donghae. Su-yeon walks around her hometown, remembering her father, but she rejects her mother’s decision, not yet ready to let him go. At her daughter’s objections, In-seon’s resolve also begins to weaken.

Currently in South Korea, there are about 40 people each day who give up on life and commit suicide. We can only make vague assumptions about why they come to such a decision. We may also blame ourselves for not realizing sooner about the depth of despair they felt. In this way I came to focus my attention on the deceased’s family members, who even with the passage of time are unable to let go, and find themselves oscillating between guilt, resentment and longing. There are also many people who look upon such family members in a critical or suspicious light, instead of seeing them as people in need of comfort. I hope that this small story inspires viewers to slowly reflect upon ourselves and the people around us.

2025 제30회 부산국제영화제 CGV상