Bora Kim – House of Hummingbird #LFF2019

October 10, 2019

Bora Kim - House of Hummingbird #LFF2019 fredfilmradio

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PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Bora Kim, director of the film House of Hummingbird.

An interview with director Bora Kim, who talks about her film, House of Hummingbird, presented in the First Feature Competition strand of the 2019 BFI London Film Festival. Bora tells us about working on the film for six years and finding the right dosage of autobiographical influences. She also talks about the feminist perspective ofHouse of Hummingbird, and the historical context that inspired its 1994 setting – a tumultuous year in Korean history for a number of reasons. Other topics discussed in this interview include the novelistic structure of the film, the importance of the lead character being a young lady and more.

House of Hummingbird: With regular beatings from her brother, the evasions of a feckless boyfriend and a blossoming friendship with a new teacher, teenage Eunhee certainly has a lot on her mind. And with her parents always working late or fighting, it’s starting to feel like she’s invisible. But as Eunhee navigates the first flushes and disappointments of adolescence, she begins to develop her own philosophy towards life. Though Eunhee’s circumstances are often bleak, writer-director Bora Kim brings both humour and elegance to her autobiographical debut, capturing the tiny moments when perceptions shift in a young person’s life. It’s a richly textured depiction of South Korea – encompassing events and attitudes ranging from the collapse of Seongsu Bridge to society’s relationship with violence – all experienced through Eunhee’s wise young eyes.

To discover more about the film, click here.