Directed by Lee Chang-dong (South Korea and Japan, 2018, 148 min.). Korean with English subtitles.

This modern noir is a searing examination of an alienated young man, Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in), a frustrated introvert whose difficult life is complicated by the appearance of two people in his orbit: Hae-mi (newcomer Jeon Jong-seo), a spirited woman who offers a possibility of romance, and a wealthy and sophisticated young man named Ben (Steven Yeun). When Jong-su learns of Ben’s unsavory behaviors and Hae-mi suddenly disappears, his confusion and obsessions begin to mount, culminating in a stunning finale.

Burning earned a bounty of awards on its release, including the Federation of Film Critics Award at Cannes. It was the first Korean film to land on the shortlist for Best Foreign Film at the 91st Academy Awards—blazing a path, perhaps, for the following year’s Best Picture Winner, Parasite.