Lee Chang-dong's (Oasis, MIFF 03) latest epic follows a young mother's encounter with adversity and tragedy as a widow settling in a new town.

After losing her husband in a car accident, Shin-ae (played by Jeon Do-yeon, who was awarded Best Actress for the role at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival) moves with her son to start anew in Miryang, her late husband's hometown. Despite her attempts fit in, she remains an outsider to most of the townspeople, finding a friend only in the principled Jong-chag (Song Kang-ho, star of The Host, MIFF 06). Soon a second twist-of-fate turns Shin-ae's world upside down once again. Exploring the tumultuous scope of human emotion, Secret Sunshine takes us from despair to redemption and back again, as one woman confronts the worst of tragedies.