House of Hummingbird

Korea, 1994. The South is in the midst of a construction boom, while the North grieves its dictator’s death. Eun-hee, a 14-year-old girl, spends her days in Seoul feeling alienated: school is boring, and at home she is met by a pair of unaffectionate, quarreling parents. She takes her first steps toward falling in love, is forced to visit the hospital alone, and gets up to mischief with her best friend. When a new teacher arrives, it seems as though there is finally someone who understands her. Kim Bo-ra’s debut film offers a tender, poignant, and honest look at adolescence, and marks her as a name to follow. Bo-ra’s measured pace enables her to capture the essence of youth that straddles between pain and joy, supported by meticulous camerawork and a powerful performance by Park Ji-hu in the lead role.