Hana, Sudeok, Taehyung, Jaechun and Hamamu; each tell us their stories, interweaving the personal with the social. Lee Soojung’s cinematic intervention is a collage of their testimonies on creativity, mental health, labour activism and gender politics. Personal narratives blend with Lee Soojung’s recollections of times and places of encounter, translating into poetic intersections. The film is a stunning, complex yet inviting poem of experience.

Time to Read Poems marks Lee Soojung as one of the important female directors in recent Korean cinema. Her nomadic look at urban landscapes combined with sensitive yet deeply evocative portraiture makes for a thought-provoking exploration of choices, dreams and existence.