Fantasia '19 Film Review - House of Hummingbird

1994 was a significant year in South Korean history. The country was expanding moving towards a Western financial capitalistic consumer society. Three signature events took place. The World Cup in the U.S.A. where the South Korean Men's team participated, The death of North Korea's Kim Il-sung and the collapse of the Seongsu Bridge. All are mentioned with each passing event having a larger impact on the storyline.

14-Year-Old Eun-hee (Park Ji-hu) is a grade 8 student and the youngest of three siblings. Middle child Suhee (Bak Suyeon) is out all hours of the night while older brother Daheoon (Son Sangyeon) carries the weight of family pride having to do well in school and go on to be successful in University. All three suffer from under parenting as their parents work long hours in a rice cake shop priding themselves on their fresh ingredients but openly argue in front of their children in their small council estate apartment.

The neglect, lack of privacy and abuse as her older brother Daheoon often beats her with no consequence leads Eun-hee outside in search of love and belonging. She develops a crush on a well to do boy whose parents do not approve of the Rice Shop Girl, another with a female classmate who gives her gifts and the attention that she craves then a strong mentor, mentee relationship with Chinese Cram school instructor Young-Ji (Kim Sae-byuk).

Director Kim Bo-ra shows the dynamics of South Korean society during that pivotal year. The soccer team participating in the 1994 World Cup was a point of national pride. The death of Kim Il-sung and the images of the scores of crying North Koreans meant uncertainty. Could it lead to war? The collapse of the Seongsu bridge was a major tragic event. A school bus full of kids perished alongside everyday Koreans headed to work in morning rush hour. Kim's narrative touches on the pressures on children to succeed in school to avoid embarrassing their family, the willingness to inform on your neighbour that is demonstrated in two key moments of the film and the second class status of women that Eun-hee, her sister both experience as did their mother a generation before.

Park Ji-hu shines as Eun-hee as she deals with dysfunction at home, changing alliances, friendship and crushes at school plus the immense pressure to do well at her studies and be respectful. Then as a bonus a major health issue that she more or less has to face on her own. Kim Sae-byuk as Young -ji is the mentor and only consistent positive influence in Eun-hee's life. She helps Eun-hee to gain confidence and makes her promise to always stand up for herself. These two performances anchor a notable first feature from writer director Kim Bo-ra. Her adept skills at storytelling, camera movement, and use of colour make her a rising talent sparking curiosity of what she will do next.

**** out of 4

House of Hummingbird | Kim Bo-ra | South Korea | 2019 | 138 Minutes.

Tags: 1994, World Cup, Kim-Il-sung, Seongsu Bridge Collapse, Chinese Cram School, Abuse, Lump, Surgery, Rice Cakes, Trampoline, Yellow Benetton Back Pack.