Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… And Spring

No one is immune to the power of the seasons and their yearly cycle of birth, growth and decay. Not even the two monks who share a hermitage floating on a pond that is surrounded by mountains. As the seasons unfold, every aspect of their lives is infused with an intensity that leads both to greater spirituality – and tragedy. For they, too, are unable to escape the pull of life, the longings, sufferings and passions that take hold of each and every one of us. Under the watchful eyes of the Old Monk, a Young Monk experiences the loss of innocence when play turns to cruelty … the awakening of love when a woman enters their closed world… the murderous power of jealousy and obsession … the price of redemption … the enlightenment of experience. Just as the seasons will continue to alternate until the end of time, so will the hermitage always remain a home for the spirit, hovering between now and forever… Kim Ki-duk, director of such critically acclaimed films as The Isle (Venice, 1999) and Bad Guy (Berlinale, 2002), demonstrates his exceptional talent for relating emotionally complex stories with images of otherworldly beauty.