Netflix schedules staggered cinema release for Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love
Developed over time first seen 3 months ago
Netflix has confirmed the full theatrical rollout for "Possible Love", the first film in eight years from acclaimed Korean director Lee Chang-dong, ahead of its festival premieres. The staggered release is designed to make the drama eligible for the Best International Feature category at next year's Academy Awards, alongside other honours, reflecting Netflix's continued push to give prestige titles a qualifying cinema run before they land on the streaming service.
The film opens in Korean cinemas on 23 September, followed by Australia on 22 October and the US, Canada, UK, Ireland and Japan on 23 October, before streaming globally on Netflix from 6 November. Co-produced by Anonymous Content with Korea's NOWFILM and Pinehouse Film, it stars Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong in a story of two married couples whose lives intersect when a documentary filmmaker sets out to film them, exposing hidden tensions in both marriages. It premieres in competition at the Venice Film Festival and also screens in the Special Presentations section at Toronto; Lee's previous work includes Burning, Oasis and Poetry, all decorated at Cannes and Venice.
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In short
- Netflix confirms staggered global cinema release for "Possible Love"
- Rollout timed to qualify for Best International Feature Oscar
- Streams on Netflix from 6 November after cinema runs
How this story developed
- 3 months ago Netflix reaffirmed it fully financed "Possible Love" as an original production and clarified that both the Venice competition slot and the Toronto Special Presentations berth fall within the current festival season, cementing the release schedule already announced.
- 3 months ago New details emerged naming co-producers Anonymous Content, NOWFILM and Pinehouse Film behind the ensemble drama, while confirming the release calendar and highlighting that the picture will bow in competition at Venice before screening at Toronto ahead of its Netflix debut.
- 3 months ago Netflix unveiled a staggered theatrical rollout for Lee Chang-dong's "Possible Love," opening in South Korea on 23 September, then Australia and other English-language markets on 22-23 October, ahead of a global streaming launch on Netflix on 6 November, a pattern designed to secure Oscar eligibility.
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The case for
Supporters of Netflix's approach argue it offers the best of both worlds: cinephiles and awards voters get a proper theatrical experience across multiple territories, including Lee Chang-dong's home market first, while the vast majority of viewers worldwide gain swift, affordable access via streaming rather than waiting months or having no local cinema option at all. They point out that festival premieres at Venice and Toronto, alongside a real if brief cinema run, still honour the film as a work meant to be seen on the big screen, and that without Netflix's financing a demanding arthouse ensemble drama by a director who has not made a film in eight years might not get made on this scale at all.
The case against
Critics of such staggered releases contend that a token multi-week theatrical window designed chiefly to satisfy Academy eligibility rules is not a genuine theatrical release but a formality that treats cinemas as a box to tick rather than the film's true home. They argue this practice shortchanges independent and arthouse exhibitors who rely on such prestige titles to draw audiences, denies the film the chance to build sustained word-of-mouth and box-office life, and reflects a broader concern that streaming platforms are reshaping awards culture on their own terms rather than genuinely committing to the communal cinema experience directors like Lee Chang-dong have historically been associated with.
Explained simply
Netflix has confirmed cinema dates for Possible Love, the first film in eight years from acclaimed Korean director Lee Chang-dong, known for works such as Poetry and Burning. The film is being released in theatres in stages across different countries before it eventually arrives on Netflix, a strategy used to make films eligible for major film prizes, including the Oscars.
The film is an ensemble drama backed financially by Netflix, featuring well-known South Korean actors Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong. It centres on two married couples whose lives become entangled after a documentary maker decides to film them, gradually revealing strains beneath the surface of both marriages.
The film is also due to be shown at two of the film world's most prominent events, the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, both happening later this year. Its staggered release and festival appearances reflect the way major streaming services now balance cinema traditions with online viewing while still competing for industry recognition.
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Originally published by Deadline as “Netflix Sets Awards-Qualifying Theatrical Release For Lee Chang-dong’s Venice & Toronto Title ‘Possible Love’ ”.