FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 18, 2026

CINEMA GUILD ACQUIRES HONG SANGSOO’S Berlinale title The Day She Returns

NEW YORK, NY (February 18, 2026) – Cinema Guild announced today the acquisition of North American distribution rights for The Day She Returns, the latest feature from acclaimed South Korean auteur Hong Sangsoo. The film will have its world premiere today at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, marking Hong's seventh consecutive year with a film at the Berlinale.

The Day She Returns follows actress Bae Jeongsu (Song Sunmi), who, having stepped back from acting after marriage and a subsequent divorce, returns to the profession with a role in an independent film. As the film’s release approaches, she takes part in a series of press interviews, only to discover later—when asked to revisit those moments in her acting class—that she cannot clearly recall what was said. She is tired and wants to go home. Her daughter is waiting.

Infused with quiet observation and subtle humor, his 34th feature is a meditation on memory and performance, and the subtle interplay between the two. The Day She Returns features a compelling central performance by Song Sunmi, alongside longtime collaborators Cho Yunhee (The Day After) and Park Miso (Introduction). Continuing Hong Sangsoo’s distinctive exploration of the boundaries between lived experience and artistic creation, the film unfolds in his signature minimalist style, marked by intimate conversations, precise compositions, and a gently unfolding sense of time.

"The magic of Hong Sangsoo is endless," said Cinema Guild President Peter Kelly. "Watching The Day She Returns was like discovering that magic all over again."

The acquisition deal was negotiated by Peter Kelly of Cinema Guild with Youngjoo Suh of Finecut.

Cinema Guild is a leading distributor of world cinema, independent films, and documentaries. Upcoming releases include Hong Sangsoo's What Does That Nature Say to You and Aleksandre Koberidze's Dry Leaf. Recent releases include a retrospective of João César Monteiro's films in 4k restorations, Marta Mateus' Fire of Wind, Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich's The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire, Hong Sangsoo's By the Stream, and a retrospective of the French New Wave filmmaker Luc Moullet.

For press inquiries, please contact us at:

(212) 685-6242 or press at cinemaguild dot com

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