A Brand New Life (2009 film)

A Brand New Life is a 2009 South Korean-French drama film directed by Ounie Lecomte, in her directorial debut. The film is semi-autobiographical, drawing inspiration from Lecomte's own childhood experience of being abandoned at an orphanage in South Korea.

The story centers on Jin-hee, a young girl who is abruptly left at a Catholic orphanage by her father, seemingly without explanation. The film follows Jin-hee's emotional journey as she grapples with feelings of abandonment, confusion, and the challenges of adjusting to life in the orphanage with other children. The film explores themes of family, loss, adoption, and the resilience of children.

The film stars Kim Sae-ron as Jin-hee and features appearances by Go Ah-sung, Park Do-yeon, and Yoo Yeon-seok. A Brand New Life was screened at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival as a special presentation. The film received generally positive reviews for its sensitive and realistic portrayal of childhood trauma and its strong performances, particularly from Kim Sae-ron. It was praised for its understated approach and its avoidance of sentimentality.