Celine Song had too much fun as a matchmaker

By Rachel Martin

Published July 9, 2025 at 3:44 PM EDT

A note from Wild Card host Rachel Martin: Everything moves so fast now. We speed through our social media feeds, and our phones are filled with 20-second video clips. Even the pace and dialogue in films can feel rapid-fire.

That's why Celine Song's films feel countercultural. They force the viewer to just slow down and linger in profound moments between characters. Like the power of a long silence or a gaze that says more than dialogue could.

Song is a writer and director who understands that emotional intimacy is just as important as a good story. And that comes through in both her debut feature, Past Lives, and her new film, Materialists, which draws from her short stint as a professional matchmaker.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

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