BBFF22: Decision to Leave

Synopsis

South Korea’s Official Selection for the 'Best International Feature Film' category of the 95th Academy Awards in 2023.

With its genre mix of police procedural and romance, its intriguing characters, its moments of unexpected humour, the sensual mise-en-scène and powerful direction of Park Chan-wook, DECISION TO LEAVE is at once the most classic and most original film of 2022.

A man falls from a mountain peak to his death. The detective in charge, Hae-joon (Park Hae-il), comes to meet the dead man's wife Seo-rae (Tang Wei). Seo-rae shows no sign of agitation at her husband's death. With her behaviour so unlike that of a grieving relative, the police consider her a suspect. Hae-joon interrogates Seo-rae, and while observing her on stakeout, finds himself slowly developing an interest in her. Meanwhile the difficult-to-read Seo-rae, despite being suspected of a crime, acts boldly towards Hae-joon.

A suspect who is hiding her true feelings.
A detective who suspects and desires his suspect.
Their Decision to Leave.