House of Hummingbird

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House of Hummingbird (Beol-sae)

Directed by Bora Kim

  • South Korea 2018; 138 min
  • Original version: Korean
  • Genre: Drama
    • KNN Audience Award, NETPAC Award - Busan IFF
    • Grand Prix for the Best feature-length film (Generation 14Plus International Jury) - Berlinale Generation
    • Golden Tulip Award - Istanbul FF
    • Best International Narrative Feature, Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film (Ji-hu Park), Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature Film (Kang Gook-hyun) - Tribeca FF
    • Grand Jury Prize (Official Competition) - Seattle IFF
    • Best Screenplay Award - Athens IFF

Synopsis

Set against the backdrop of a rapidly expanding Seoul in 1994, a lonely 14-year-old Eun-hee moves through life like a hummingbird searching for a taste of sweetness wherever she may find it. Deprived of attention from her family, she roams the neighborhood with her best friend, attempts romantic relationships with both girls and boys alike and is sent to the hospital with an unclear diagnosis. When Young-ji, a new teacher, arrives, she becomes the first adult Eun-hee feels really understands her.

Director's Statement

When writing a coming-of-age story, I had to seriously consider the very meaning of “growth.” In HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD, there is no clear contrast, no single glorious achievement that acts as a signifier of change. In the film, Eunhee wants to meet someone who can support her, someone who can show her that she is deserving of love. But that wish doesn’t come easily. Throughout it all, and despite all odds, Eunhee remains resilient. What I really want to convey through this film was this resilience and the subtle beauty encoded in her broken world. Her search for love - familial, romantic, and platonic - leads her to ask questions that the world does not answer. My hope is that the film, HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD, will evoke in audiences memories of their own journeys through life, and that they see the grace of ‘constant searching.’

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    Whitney Kim