Bora Kim isn't a name I have heard before. Which came as a surprise having looked up House of Hummingbird after watching it; it seemed familiar to me, as if I had seen it before, or at least had seen works of a similar nature from the talent behind it -- this was not the case, and it served as an interesting surprise to see that she hasn't really directed anything after. Nor did she create much prior to House of Hummingbird.
It is directors such as Bora Kim that I often attempt to discover, the ones that really catch my eye: people that create or have created very little but display such passion and talent in filmmaking. Where such talent is not just from the understanding of basic filmmaking, but instead a full understanding of the very themes the film intends to display.
It is through an understanding of the themes represented that a film can truly be felt from its audience, where cinematography, music, and performances are carefully considered to ensure that the themes themselves aren't overly dramatised. I feel that many films fail to hit the mark in this same regard, where drama is taken to another level and as a result it doesn't quite capture the emotions of an audience. House of Hummingbird, however, manages to approach the themes of a difficult upbringing and general teenage chaos in a way that is deeply personal, in addition to being relatable to many.
Though, I can't deny that House of Hummingbird is not also incredibly beautiful visually. Its directing and careful cinematography reaches into quite an artistic level in moments, amplifying emotion and the film's sense of youth throughout.
House of Hummingbird
House of Hummingbird follows the teenage Eun-hee through her day-to-day struggles in life, particularly as a teenager struggling to find her feet in life, in addition to dealing with the many struggles that come with youth: troubles from home and the tricky area of relationships.
Bora Kim displays the ways in which life at home has a significant effect on all areas of development in the youth, where a tough time from home can lead to issues at school as well as a more rebellious lifestyle. Naturally, in our youth, to rebel is a normal process in development, but it's amplified by Eun-hee's struggles to get by and remain functional in friendships and studies. She finds ways to avoid being home, and often steers clear of her family members which often place their attention elsewhere even when she evidently requests and needs some parental guidance.
It's through these moments that we can connect with Eun-hee, as we see how such a young teenager is placed into a world of near full independence as a result of frequent neglect in a dysfunctional family, where even she displays higher functional abilities in comparison. These moments don't just speak of the emotional neglect that leads to independence, but portrays depression and loneliness as Bora Kim essentially traverses over the two subjects with a magnifying glass.
Despite the more mature nature, alongside some immature actions that are quite unwise in parts, Bora Kim ensures she displays youthful activities which act as our frequent reminder of Eun-hee still being in her youth: she's an artist at heart that spends much of her time drawing and creating things, using creativity and general crafts to distract her from the other aspects of life that remove her from these moments of childhood. This careful consideration to display a balance between the hardships and the positives do not just make the film more authentic to its subjects, but shows us of the sheer strength of the youth.
We typically consider the youth to be weak or inexperienced in life, but it's precisely these situations where strength and basic humanity is displayed: we create friendships with each other to distract ourselves; we rely heavily on those older for guidance and support, of which is often portrayed as we see Eun-hee finally take a liking to a female teacher that shows empathy towards her. It reminded me of my own struggles through youth, particularly in school -- where even I had that one teacher that would actually notice things and stop to talk to me and ask how things were. Other teachers often don't pay enough attention, resulting in a harder time in education. Bora Kim takes attention to this within the first quarter of the film, showing teachers come and go with very little influence on Eun-hee's life and emotions towards school.
A story of finding yourself
While there is plenty of hardships throughout House of Hummingbird for Eun-hee, the film takes a turn to display more of a coming-of-age nature, where she slowly adapts and begins to find who she really is amongst endless waves of difficulties.
In South Korea, there is forever the troubling growth in expectations in the youth, where they're expected to perform excellently in all areas of studies in life. With no surprise, these expectations result in fears and anxiety, ultimately hindering potential. Eun-hee realises this and begins to understand that what is more important is her own happiness. Understanding that she is in control of the present and future despite the frequent expectations that surround her.
We see the reflections of her teacher in life, which ultimately begin to liberate Eun-hee by opening her eyes up to the reality of adulthood. The cinematography begins to use more up-close perspectives, featuring a very shallow depth-of-field which focuses our attention on very specific areas of the screen: a character's face during dialogue; their hands as they're describing ways of coping with anxiety and stress. The environments change as Eun-hee roams the streets more, almost a visual acknowledgement of her own mental growth as she traverses through her days and searches for something deeper within. It almost serves as a method of meditation for Eun-hee.
I liked the influence of an adult on Eun-hee in the form of her teacher, which as mentioned above served as her guidance where it otherwise was lost. The empathy from one person to another shows the huge impact it can have on someone, particularly someone young that is lost in a mountain of dreams and struggles. It shows that our solutions, while sometimes being seemingly impossible to approach and deal with, can simply be the thoughts and ears of another.
A surprise from a small director
Bora Kim addresses the struggles of the youth clearly from experience, using a very delicate approach that combines the emotional toll of high expectations and a feeling of being lost in life with the eventual growth that spirals from the ashes of pain. She shows how even our seemingly darkest moments in life can serve as motivation to push forward and create better times, even in moments taking a page from the philosophy of Hegel in which difficult times result in better times, and when things get a bit too good, we can count on some hardships to arrive and remind us of what we're to fight for in life.
I found the ways it addresses so many themes at once with such an effective story quite impressive. Particularly alongside the cinematography and music which amplifies the gentle stature of the youth and innocence that comes with it. Its score felt unique and immersive where it displayed Eun-hee in various environments as she spent her days roaming places and letting time pass. I can only hope that House of Hummingbird is the start of many more films to come from director Bora Kim.
