Lee Hyeyopung and Cho Yunhee in In Front of Your Face

IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE
Directed by Hong Sangsoo
Certificate: 12a
☆☆☆☆

THIS intriguing drama shows the confidence distributors have in Korean film. Director Hong Sangsoo has enjoyed acclaim in Korean film markets, but his intelligent windows on the everyday – often twisted to be a surrealist consideration of the foibles of humanity – are not exactly mainstream in the home market. It means his work gives another dimension to what European cinema audiences expect from Korean film culture.

While the Oscar-hoovering Parasite is considered to be a gateway to the country’s cinema, Korean Wave has longevity stretching back to the 1990s.

The breakthrough came via TV dramas, with Chinese and Japanese audiences feasting on Korean series. Added to this, K-Pop swept through a younger demographic and has made a deep mark on Western contemporary culture.

Filmwise, the exports of the K-Wave have been top heavy with horror, coming-of-age stories and quirky romances. Early exports, such as A Love Story, were somewhat lost in translation, but the nature of storytelling devices and scene setting make Korean films look and feel different from the Hollywood churn, and their occasional inexplicability a major selling point. It is this cultural leap that makes In Front Of Your Face fascinating.

Sangok (Lee Hyeyopung) has been living in the USA. A former actress, there is a bit of mystery about what exactly she has been doing years away from her homeland. Her sister Jeongok (Cho Yunhee) is delighted to welcome her home and rebuild their sibling love.

Why have the sisters been estranged? We learn they lost regular contact after their mother died – Sangok explains she has not returned for so long as life got in the way…

Easing Sangok back into the pace of life gives the sisters plenty of time to rediscover each other. They head out to breakfast and discuss a permanent return and a fresh start.

As we watch the emotions of reunion, it is apparent that what matters isn’t what has been said, but what is being kept quiet.

Sangok has a meeting with a film-maker to discuss a possible return to the business. What unfolds is a reasoning for her absence and sudden return.

Sangsoo has created a story that tells of the attachment between the two sisters. It’s honesty makes the viewer emotionally involved as the tragedy and miracle of love and grief is revealed.