Shim Eun-kyung's latest Japanese film invited to compete at Locarno Film Festival

A scene from “Two Seasons Two Strangers” starring South Korean actress Shim Eun-kyung Courtesy of Bitters End Inc — Actress Sim Eun-kyung is seen in a scene from Japanese film "Two Seasons, Two Strangers." Courtesy of Bitters End, Inc.

SEOUL, July 10 (AJP) - Actress Shim Eun-kyung's latest film has been invited to the upcoming Locarno Film Festival, which opens next month in Switzerland, the film's distributor said Thursday.

Based on a Japanese manga by Yoshiharu Tsuge, "Tabi to Hibi" or "Two Seasons, Two Strangers" tells the story of a scriptwriter whose journey leads her to an unexpected encounter with the owner of a remote countryside inn.

Directed by Japanese filmmaker Sho Miyake, the film will vie for the Pardo d'Oro or the Golden Leopard along with 16 other films in the competition section of the Concorso Internazionale, which showcases "both established auteurs and emerging talents, classical form and experimentation."

Expectations are already building among fans for Miyake, known for his acclaimed previous works such as "And Your Bird Can Sing" (2018), "Small, Slow But Steady" (2023), and "All the Long Nights" (2024), all of which were invited to another prestigious annual film festival, the Berlinale.

Fluent in Japanese, Shim, who earlier said in an interview that she is "honored to be part of Miyake's beautiful film," is expected to walk the red carpet at this year's festival, which is scheduled to kick off its 10-day run on Aug. 6 in southern Switzerland.

Kim Hee-su khs@ajunews.com