“Sensitive, keenly observed and unflinchingly honest, the film is destined for an extended

festival run.” “The autobiographical script amplifies the travails and

hopes of female adolescence through startlinglyspecific observations without the tinge of false nostalgia.” “Kim Bo-ra’s Beol-sae (House of Hummingbird) is

a first feature with the maturity of an enduring artist. This strong film is a beautifully constructed portrait of a young girl trying to find her place within her.”

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.

South Korea, USA | 2018 | Color | 138’ | 1.85:1 | DCP | Korean

The day was cold and windy. I could hear a hissing sound in my half-ruptured eardrum, which had yet to heal. I was trudging through the deserted school grounds alone.

If I think about my life in middle school, this is the first memory that comes to mind. A boy had stalked me, hit me, and split my eardrum. My parents worked all day in a sesame oil store in a very rich part of town, and did not have much time on their hands. So I dealt with it alone. The feeling of shame, and loneliness; the cold, hissing sound in my ear; despair and unknown beauty; and the yearning for true love - these are the major textures that pervade “Beolsae: House of Hummingbird.”

In many ways, “House of Hummingbird” draws upon my own experience growing up in Seoul in the early 90’s. In 1994, the backdrop for “House of Hummingbird,” I was 14. When the Seongsu Bridge collapsed, it took the lives of many girls from Mookhak High School, where my sister attended. She herself was spared that fate only because she was too busy arguing with my father that morning. A year later, the biggest department store in Seoul, Sampoong, collapsed. The incident claimed many lives. I remember one girl from my class cried uncontrollably, face down on her desk, mourning her aunt’s death in the accident.

In the 90’s, South Korea seemed to have been developing at a tremendous

rate and people were very proud of its economic miracle. But the tragic side effects of this rapid growth were constantly revealed. At the time, the series of deaths felt very much connected, and with each tragedy I could feel a little part of myself die also. In “House of Hummingbird,” tried to render the atmosphere of 90’s Seoul, but also use this time and place to reflect changes in Eunhee’s personal life. When her personal failures reach a fevered pitch, the Seongsu Bridge also collapses. 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.’

BORA KIM

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

DIRECTOR’S BIOBORA KIM is a South Korean filmmaker and holds an MFA in film directing from Columbia University. Her recent short film, “The Recorder Exam” won numerous awards including the Best Student Filmmaker Award from The Directors Guild of America. The film was also a National Finalist for the 2012 Student Academy Awards.

Kim’s debut feature “House of Hummingbird” received production support from Korean Film Council, Seoul Film Commission and Asian Cinema Fund of Busan International Film Festival. The film received post-production support from the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program and was selected as an IFP Narrative Lab Fellow. “House of Hummingbird” premiered at Busan International Film Festival in the prestigious New Currents section where it won the NETPAC award and the KNN Audience award. At the 69th Berlin International Film Festival, the film was awarded the Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus International Jury for the Best Film.

2018 House of Hummingbird 2011 The Recorder Exam | Short Film2004 The Earring | Short Film2003 The Girl with Red Shoes | Short Film2002 Another Wonderland | Short Film

CREW BIOSPRODUCE R

ZOE SUA CHO is a Korean-born, New Zealand-bred filmmaker and co-founder of Mass Ornament Films. She has produced numerous short films including “Recorder Exam,” “Needle” and ”Wolkaan,” which have screened and won in top international film festivals. She produced and edited feature documentary “Drifting Towards the Crescent,” which premiered at Rotterdam International Film Festival, and produced Anahita Ghazvinizadeh’s “They,” an official selection at Cannes Film Festival. She was selected as a producing fellow of Film Independent’s Project Involve, IFP’s Cannes Producer Network Fellow, and a 2018 Berlinale Talent.

M USIC

MATIJA STRNIŠA is a Berlin-based film score composer. He composed music for the feature film “Meteor Street” and “Paths,” both films premiered at 2016 and 2017 Berlin International Film Festival. He was nominated for 2016 German Film Music Award 2016 in Upcoming Talent Award category and received a nomination for Best Original Composition at the 2016 Music + Sound Awards. STRNIŠA is a member of The European Film Academy and a 2018 Berlinale Talent fellow.

C I N E MATOG RAPH E R

GOOK-HYUN KANG’s work has been screened and awarded internationally including Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival and London Film Festival for the film “Stateless Things” and “The Shameless.” “The Shameless,” starring Jeon Do-yeon, winner of the Cannes Best Actress award, premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section. Kang was selected as the cinematographer of the year in 2015 by Cine 21, the top Korean film magazine. He also received an award for best cinematography at the highly regarded Blue Dragon Awards in Korea.

SOU N D DESIG N E R

MYUNG-HWAN HAN is an award-winning sound designer and re-recording mixer known for his work with Korea’s top directors such as Park Chan-wook, Lee Chang-dong and Hong Sang-soo, which have screened at acclaimed film festivals including Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. His credits include art-house hits “Burning” and “Poetry,” and blockbuster successes “Ode to My Father” and “Masquerade.” He won the prestigious Golden Bell Award in Korea for Best Sound on the film, “Ode to My Father.”

CONTENTS PANDA presents

an EPIPHANY FILMS production in co-production with MASS ORNAMENT FILMS

Writer | Director BORA KIM Producers ZOE SUA CHO, BORA KIM Cinematographer GOOK-HYUN KANG Editor ZOE SUA CHO Production Designer GEUN-A KIM Music MATIJA STRNIŠA Sound Designer MYUNG-HWAN HAN Costume HEE-HWA YANG Hair & Make Up MI-KYOUNG CHUNG World Sales CONTENTS PANDA

SUPPORT GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY

KOREAN FILM COUNCIL SEOUL FILM COMMISION

SEONGNAM ARTS CENTER ASIAN CINEMA FUND from

BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALSUNDANCE INSTITUTE & IFP

CAST Eun-hee JI-HU PARK Young-ji SAE-BYUK KIM Mother SEUNG-YEON LEE Father IN-GI JEONG Su-hee SU-YEON PARK Dae-hoon SANG-YEON SOHN Ji-suk SEO-YOON PARK Ji-wan YOON-SEO JEONG Yu-ri HYE-IN SEOL Uncle YOUNG-SEON HYUNG Young-ji’s Mom HYE-YEON KIL Joon-tae YONG-BEOM SON

CREW Line Producer IK-JUN YOON Assistant Director JI-SU HONG Script Supervisor SE-MI KU 2nd Assistant Director SO-HEE BACK First Assistant Camera PARK BYUNG-GYU Camera Assistants YEON-SU CHOI, JONG-HOON KWON, JAE-HONG KIM, HYE-IN KIM Location Sound Recording SEUNG-JIN KIM Art Assistants SEO-HOO KIM, HYO-SEONG KIM Costume Assistant SEONG-MIN PARK Make Up Assistant YEONG-HWA LEE Colorist SEUNG-HOON LEE Visual Effects MOFAC Digital Cinema Mastering CJ POWERCAST

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