A Traveler's Needs
“When paths cross, souls discover each other.”
Iris, a woman abroad in Seoul, teaches French and English in an idiosyncratic fashion that allows her to pursue her own philosophical and personal interests. Through four encounters over a single day, Iris probes students and strangers for information about poetry, their own histories, and their relationship to their egos.
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Cast
8 people
Isabelle Huppert
Iris
Known for
Elle
The Piano Teacher
Lee Hye-young
Wonju
Known for
Boys Over Flowers
Lawless Lawyer
Kwon Hae-hyo
Haesoon
Known for
Parasyte: The Grey
Peninsula
Cho Yun-hee
Yeonhee
Known for
In Front of Your Face
The Day After
Ha Seong-guk
Inguk
Known for
The Woman Who Ran
In Front of Your Face
Kim Seung-yun
Isong
Also in
In Water
The Battleship Island
Kang So-yi
Soha
Also in
What Does That Nature Say to You
By the Stream
Ha Jin-hwa
Ranhee
No other roles listed
Hong Sang-soo Director
Worldwide gross $72K · United States release November 22, 2024 · Produced in South Korea, France
Box office
Worldwide gross
$71,614
Production
Jeonwonsa Film
Production
Les Films du Camélia
Production
Finecut
Production
South Korea · France
Produced in
Languages
Original title
여행자의 필요
Original language
Korean
Spoken on screen
English · French · Korean
Release dates
Germany · February 19, 2024
Premiere · Berlin International Film Festival
South Korea · April 24, 2024
Theatrical
United States · November 22, 2024
Limited theatrical
United States
October 2, 2024 · Premiere · New York Film Festival
Argentina
August 28, 2025 · Theatrical
Australia
August 18, 2024 · Premiere · Melbourne International Film Festival
Austria
October 22, 2024 · Premiere · Viennale
November 1, 2024 · Theatrical · A Filmgarten release
Belgium
October 16, 2024 · Premiere · Film Fest Gent
Bosnia & Herzegovina
August 18, 2024 · Premiere · Sarajevo Film Festival
Brazil
October 5, 2024 · Premiere · Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival
April 10, 2025 · Theatrical
Canada
October 5, 2024 · Premiere · Vancouver International Film Festival
Chile
October 14, 2024 · Premiere · Valdivia Film Festival
China
April 20, 2024 · Premiere · Beijing International Film Festival
Czechia
December 12, 2024 · Theatrical
Egypt
October 27, 2024 · Premiere · El Gouna Film Festival
France
January 22, 2025 · Theatrical
Hong Kong SAR China
March 30, 2024 · Premiere · Hong Kong International Film Festival
India
October 20, 2024 · Premiere · MAMI Mumbai Film Festival
Indonesia
September 26, 2024 · Premiere · Jakarta World Cinema
Ireland
November 16, 2024 · Premiere · Cork International Film Festival
Israel
July 18, 2024 · Premiere · Jerusalem Film Festival
Italy
February 13, 2025 · Theatrical
Japan
November 1, 2025 · Theatrical
Lithuania
October 4, 2024 · Premiere · Lokys, liūtas ir šakelė
October 25, 2024 · Theatrical
Netherlands
March 8, 2025 · Premiere · CinemAsia Film Festival
Peru
October 11, 2024 · Premiere · Lima Alterna Festival Internacional de Cine
Portugal
May 28, 2024 · Premiere · IndieLisboa International Independent Film Festival
August 7, 2025 · Theatrical
Serbia
November 27, 2024 · Premiere · Belgrade Author Film Festival
South Korea
June 4, 2024 · Digital
Spain
September 22, 2024 · Premiere · San Sebastián International Film Festival
April 16, 2025 · Theatrical
Sweden
November 10, 2024 · Premiere · Stockholm International Film Festival
Taiwan
December 13, 2024 · Theatrical
Thailand
November 12, 2024 · Premiere · World Film Festival of Bangkok
Türkiye
April 19, 2024 · Premiere · Istanbul Film Festival
United Kingdom
October 9, 2024 · Premiere · BFI London Film Festival
Uruguay
April 11, 2025 · Premiere · International Film Festival of Uruguay
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Some details come from TheTVDB.