One night, writer-directorCeline Songfound herself in an East Village bar in New York.
On one side of her sat her husband, on the other her childhood sweetheart from Korea.
Was that the moment that you decided, I am going to write this?
Michael Buckner for Deadline
Maybe thats something, its more like that.
But then of course, I have those moments throughout my life.
There are moments where I just think about things that I might want to work on.
Over time, nothing really sticks in the maybe pile, but this particular thing wouldnt go away.
Will people be able to relate to that feeling.
DEADLINE: You were thinking maybe its specific to the immigrant experience or having those two worlds?
SONG:But alsomykind of immigrant experience.
There was a really specific way that it exists objectively to me.
Then of course I share the story.
It can be something so little like that too.
It can be like, Well, I was in Dublin and now Im in LA, right?
So that made me go, maybe it is actually worth pursuing?
I think they still dont, any other alphabet except for English alphabet.
DEADLINE: Thats crazy, right?
I couldnt write it in Final Draft.
Theres a kind of an implicit feeling of, I think Hollywood doesnt want this movie.
But thankfully I come from a theater.
[Laughs]
DEADLINE: So that was your training.
Youre like, Ill do it anyway.
SONG:Oh, yeah.
So, Im used to that.
I think I was just like, Eh, fk it.
Maybe itll be a spec.
Maybe itll help me get other jobs.
I have to make it likeable.
Was it the right road?
So even someone thats lived in the same town their whole life knows what your movies about.
It doesnt mean that I dont grieve.
It doesnt mean that I dont say goodbye.
I get to say goodbye, but Im actually going to move forward.
Im going to be very happy living the life that I have now.
DEADLINE: But she is certain she loves her husband so…
SONG:Yes.
She loves her life in New York and she loves him.
Thats what shes crying about.
Shes crying in the way that she was a little girl.
Shes getting to mourn the little girl that she left behind.
DEADLINE: Yeah, its just a personal projection from the audiences point of view.
SONG:Its a Rorschach test, right?
Its like, Well, where are you?
What is going on with you?
And this other side of her life is so far beyond what she can return to.
She has a whole life in New York.
Hows she going to return to that?
Shes not 12, which by the way is relatable for all of us.
None of us can be 12 again, right?
DEADLINE: Yes exactly.
What did you tell them about how this story would be in the film?
And then of course, its going to have to become a movie.
Thats what makes me happy.
So its not a documentary that Im making.
Its not a recreation of something.
I think thats something that is part of the balancing of making of the film.
Its something that has to become an object from the subjective experience.
Its got to be the catalyst, and it has to stay true to that subjective feeling.
DEADLINE: Tell me about the experience of working with Greta Lee in this role?
SONG:Well Greta is not me.
Its not like Im looking for somebody who is just like me.
And then of course, and center of it is this character Nora.
What is Nora going through?
Its never a question of, Well, its got to be exact.
So thats how youre able to craft a performance.
And by then, its such an object, right?
Because its so objective.
How did you feel going into it?
SONG:Well, I mean, the feeling is its a lot of uncertainty.
You just dont know what its going to be like.
So, I think that thats the thing that I could hold onto every day.
I think that some of the fears and uncertainty, that is a natural part of it.
Its again, character, story, blocking.
Thats what you know.
And then the things that you dont know are just endless.
So, all the things that you knew before isnt going to come right with you.
And then you just watch this list shift.
Theres such power to stupidity, which I think is generally true about creativity.
Theres an amazing thing where Im like, Well, I dont know better.
So all I can do is ask.
DEADLINE: You shot in Soeul and in New York.
That was bold to shoot in New York.
Everyone always says how hard it is.
SONG:Its impossible.
I mean, people dont, and for good reason, because it is hellish.
DEADLINE: No, they just walk through it.
SONG:Theres no accommodation.
Theyll walk right through it.
Theyll be like, Well, fk you.
But its also so rewarding, which I think is how I would describe living in New York.
Its always so rewarding.
And you get to capture the magic of that.
And I would say thatPast Livesis a New York film in that way.
I knew that every time, every piece of location has to have a deep relationship to the story.
So, for an immigrant and a tourist, the Statue of Liberty is a special place.
How did you manage to shoot that?
Its so quiet and poignant.
We shot that scene in the East Village of course.
And we shot that on a Friday night.
So right outside of the frame, it was chaos.
So many people, total chaos.
Like, whats going on?
What are you shooting?
Just really drunk people yelling at us.
But the thing about that amazing street is that it has everything on it.
I dont know how to describe it except that its just got every texture.
Its just a beautiful walk.
