House of Hummingbird

Seoul, around 1994: 14-year-old Eun-hee lives in the loveless household of her middle-class family. Her parents hardly pay any attention to her when they come home from work tired at night. She also has an older sister as well as an abusive older brother. Much to her parents' disappointment she is struggling at school. When she's not in school, she hangs out at karaoke bars or just on the street, trying to figure out romance and love. Actually she is very much alone though. But then there is Yong-ji, her Chinese teacher, who listens to Eun-hee and manages to break through her wall.

In her debut film, director Kim Bora weaves the rapid economic development of Korea into her main character's personal journey to adulthood. Of course, sometimes things go very wrong, for example when the Seongsu Bridge collapses. Her semi-autobiographical story has already garnered 27 awards so far.