Why modern dating worries Materialists director Celine Song

Summary

This interview explores the personal and professional journey of filmmaker Celine Song, discussing her reflections on love, dating, and her new film 'Materialists.' Song delves into the complexities of love beyond statistics and the commodification of relationships in the modern age, influenced by dating apps and algorithms. She shares personal stories, including her immigration from South Korea to Canada and her early years in Markham. As a writer and former matchmaker, Song's experiences shape her insights into the true essence of love, transcending materialistic views and capturing the human heart in her cinema.

Takeaways

• 😀 Love is an ancient, unquantifiable mystery that can't be reduced to statistics or criteria. It’s described as being like being struck by lightning.
• 😀 Korean word 'Inyeon' meaning providence or fate is mentioned, but it’s joked that it's just something used to seduce someone in Korea.
• 😀 Seline Song's background as a child who emigrated from South Korea to Canada shows how different cultures shaped her life. She grew up in Unionville, near Two Good Pond in Markham, Canada.
• 😀 The film 'Materialists' explores the complexities of love and relationships in the context of modern dating, focusing on themes of romance, commodification, and self-improvement.
• 😀 Seline Song's parents were both artistic: her father was a writer and filmmaker, and her mother was an illustrator and graphic designer, which shaped her career path.
• 😀 As a matchmaker, Song's job involved setting up blind dates, managing client expectations, and helping people find love, revealing the transactional nature of modern dating.
• 😀 In her matchmaking experience, people often desired to be 'struck by lightning' but wanted love to fit specific, quantifiable criteria, showing the tension between romance and practicality.
• 😀 The script touches on the idea that love can’t be quantified, comparing it to a feeling that washes over you unexpectedly, and suggesting that love is ultimately about surrender.
• 😀 Song expresses concern about how dating apps and algorithms commodify relationships, reducing individuals to statistics and encouraging a self-improvement industry around appearance and personal value.
• 😀 In the age of dating apps, 'Materialists' is seen as a throwback to old-fashioned romance, similar to classics like 'Harry Met Sally,' a kind of rebellion against how modern society views love.
• 😀 Song reflects on how personal experiences, such as enjoying simple things like Tim Hortons and Cinnabons, keep her grounded, reminding her of her roots in Markham, Canada, and the simplicity of life.
• 😀 Despite the commercialization of love, Song maintains that love’s true nature is a miracle—something ordinary people can still experience, making it a universal and worthy cinematic theme.

Q & A

What does Selene Song describe love as in the transcript?

Selene Song describes love as an ancient mystery, something that cannot be quantified, and compares it to being struck by lightning, emphasizing that it is out of one's control and involves surrender.

How did Selene Song's upbringing influence her career in the arts?

Selene's parents, both artists, supported her career in the arts. Her father was a writer and filmmaker, and her mother was an illustrator and graphic designer. This gave her the freedom to pursue a creative path as they understood the life of freelance artists.

What is the significance of Tim Hortons in Selene Song's early life?

Tim Hortons became an important part of Selene's life after she moved to Canada. In Markham, where she lived, it became a regular spot for her and her friends to visit, marking a cultural adjustment to her new life in Canada.

What is Selene Song's perspective on modern dating apps and algorithms?

Selene is troubled by modern dating apps and algorithms. She expresses concern over how they commodify and objectify individuals, turning love into a transactional experience and reducing people to their statistics, such as height, weight, and income.

How does Selene Song feel about the commodification of love in the modern world?

Selene is concerned that love is being treated as a commodity in the modern world, especially with the rise of dating apps and algorithms. She highlights how this commodification can lead to self-objectification and superficial value comparisons, stripping away the emotional and personal aspects of love.

What does Selene Song believe is the true nature of love?

Selene believes that love is a deeply emotional, unquantifiable feeling that transcends statistics or external factors. It is a spontaneous and mysterious force that cannot be controlled, and it is something that strikes unexpectedly, much like lightning.

How did Selene Song transition from being a playwright to working as a matchmaker?

While working as a playwright in New York City, Selene took on a side gig as a matchmaker, where she met with clients, set them up on blind dates, and managed their expectations, learning about human nature and relationships in the process.

What did Selene Song learn about people during her time as a matchmaker?

Selene learned a great deal about people during her time as a matchmaker. She observed that clients were very honest when seeking love, and she also realized how people often reduced love to a list of superficial criteria, overlooking the deeper, emotional aspects of relationships.

How does Selene Song's film 'Materialists' challenge the modern views on romance?

In 'Materialists,' Selene presents an old-fashioned romance amidst the modern age of dating apps and algorithms. She critiques how love has been commercialized and objectified, contrasting it with the pure, unquantifiable nature of love that she believes still has a place in cinema.

How does Selene Song view the current state of romance in Hollywood?

Selene acknowledges that Hollywood has become more focused on materialistic portrayals of love, driven by the commercial nature of the industry. However, she is hopeful that there is still room for stories that embrace the deeper, more meaningful aspects of love, as seen in her own film, 'Materialists.'