First Summer

This film will be screened in-person only as part of a shorts-feature combination screening, during which it will precede the feature film, BEFORE THE CALL. Click the BUY TICKETS button to proceed.

Yeongsun spends her days waiting for Haksu, her longtime dance partner and lover, who has suddenly stopped contacting her. When Haksu’s son arrives with the news of his death, her world is shaken. The next morning, she learns that Haksu’s 49th-day memorial service will take place on the same day as her granddaughter Seokyun’s wedding. As she navigates grief, family obligations, and memories of a lifelong love, Yeongsun is compelled to reflect on the choices she has made and the life she has lived.

Content Warning: Death

Heo Gayoung, born in Seoul in 1996, studied Business Administration and Philosophy at university. She began filmmaking with friends from her theater club, creating a 7-minute short film titled HOW TO EAT SWEET AND SOUR PORK. In 2024, she entered the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) as a directing major (41st class), where she wrote and directed the short films THE SOIL TO PLANT YOU and FIRST SUMMER. She aspires to become a filmmaker who portrays humanity and stories with depth and honesty.

Producer: Lim Jiyun

Writer: Heo Gayoung

Director of Photography: Kim Sijin

Editing: Heo Gayoung

Sound: Kim Junsoo

Scenography: Ha Jinuk

Costumes: Heo Gayoung, Lee Su Yeong, Kim Eunseo

Makeup: Lim Bora

Original Soundtrack: Shin Kyung Chul

Distribution: Sayonara Film

Plays in

First Summer / Before the Call

Come join us for this in-person combination screening of the New York City premiere of the short FIRST SUMMER followed by the East Coast premiere of BEFORE THE CALL.