Secret Sunshine

Following her husband’s death, the grieving Shin-ae moves with her son to his hometown, hoping for a fresh start. But her attempt to rebuild her life in a place where she remains an outsider is shattered by another tragedy. Seeking solace, Shin-ae finds refuge in the Christian faith, only to have that hope taken from her as well.

Digitally restored copy

Duration: 142’
Production year: 2007
Country: KR
Language: KO Subtitles: PT-BR, EN

Upcoming sessions

21:45

Culturgest

Small Auditorium

Festival de Cannes 2007 — Best Actress (Jeon Do-yeon)

Lee Chang-dong

Born in Daegu in 1954, Lee Chang-dong is one of the most acclaimed South Korean filmmakers and novelists. After beginning his literary career in 1983, he turned to cinema in his forties, working first as a screenwriter and assistant director before making his directorial debut with Green Fish (1997). He went on to direct Peppermint Candy (1999), Oasis (2002), Secret Sunshine (2007), Poetry (2010) and Burning (2018), earning international acclaim and major awards. Oasis won the Silver Lion for Best Director at Venice Film Festival, while Secret Sunshine received the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for Jeon Do-yeon. From 2003 to 2004, Lee Chang-dong served as South Korea’s Minister of Culture and Tourism. His films explore isolation, desire, grief and social inequality through deeply compassionate portraits of individuals caught in moments of personal and historical upheaval. After an eight-year hiatus, he returned to cinema with Possible Love (2026), presented in Competition at Venice, where it received the Grand Jury Prize.