Cannes 2013: Soo-Jin Kim Interview

For Seon [The Line] (South Korea) in Cinefondation

How did this idea and project come about?
I wanted to make a movie in the style of a thriller and also a drama; I wanted it to be frightening. In Korea there are many apartment buildings and between two houses there are many things happening. When, like in the film, you see a kid on the stairs you might bring him in [to your apartment] for a few hours. You’d say, “Yes, you can stay here until your mother or father comes back”. In the film, you have a lady looking after a small boy. There were many possibilities with this story between the girl and the boy. The boy in Seon may be small but he might also be strong and the lady wouldn’t, perhaps, be able to defend herself. I wanted to show this idea – an everyday occurrence with darker consequences.

How much does the story reflect your society when it comes to helping others or being very cautious?

When I wrote this story I wanted to explore how much people will help each other. I started to think myself, “Would I help others – like a child, for instance – and how much would I do for them?” When you start wondering about this more and more you believe you can do a lot. But I was still wondering how much the general public would help and I want people to think about that.

I noticed a lot of themes and motifs in the film include the notion of a divide or opposite (like boy/girl, young/old, and door to door neighbours). In relation to that, is there a message in the film about neighbouring states and North and South Korea?
[Laughs] That is very interesting question but I don’t think about that. The space in our film could been seen like that but I hadn’t thought about. I just wanted to make a film about neighbouring peoples. However, you can often see the North/South divide in Korean films. 

Was there any idea about making it a feature? Or would you develop it into a feature in the future?
I didn’t think of making it a feature film but as you mention it I would love to make a feature about neighbours and that relationship. Seon could always be an opening sequence to a film about neighbours.

I was going to ask about your future plans; are there any projects in the pipe-line?
I am writing my next film now (it’ll be a feature). From being here at Cannes I’ve seen a lot and learnt about different countries so it helps with ideas. And from seeing so many other shorts it has made me want to do another short.

What’s it been like being at Cannes, especially in terms of promoting your work?
Being here is a great honour and if I continue to work in films I’ll hopefully have a good chance at coming back to Cannes.  

Cannes 2013: Seon [The Line] Review

Director/Writer: Soo-Jin Kim

Starring: Kyu-Young Choi, Myung-Ha Lee

Synopsis: A young woman, home while her parents are away, takes her adolescent neighbour in after she finds him deserted on the stairs of her apartment. He claims a turbulent family situation has left him alone but as she spends more time with him she begins to think there is another reason for his desire to enter her home.

For a simple storyline, director Soo-Jin Kim piles on the mystery and a handful of themes to add quality to the lack of quantity. Within the parameters of short filmmaking, he is clearly not fazed by the limitations of what can be explored in under 30 minutes. Seon will warrant multiple viewings, when each watch will notify you of another motif and suspicion.

In Seon’s 27 minute runtime it achieves more tension than many recent theatrical thrillers. Perfectly storyboarded and edited, the film glides through its humble length, leaving you yearning for more. Had the film been developed into a feature the only change that may be needed is the boy’s casting – Kyu-Young Choi is unsubtle at points, muddying the restrained ambience. Myung-Ha Lee, on the other hand, excels at portraying the confused carer, balancing fear and good will with finesse.

Despite the acting being an integral aspect to what makes Seon great, it is more about the execution and craft of the film that sets in high regard. Not only does the film have the aesthetic attributes of a feature, it’s also advanced in its mise-en-scène and construction. Kim finely threads the fabric of his short, giving it a maturity and value way beyond its small genus.

Whether the budget prohibited Kim from hiring a composer, the lack of diegetic and non-diegetic music actually aids the atmosphere. The silence that often permeates the scenes intensifies the awkwardness of the situation. Not knowing what path the story may take is therefore enhanced by no musical cues. What’s more, the aforementioned mise-en-scène gives no clues apart from promoting the girl’s persona (“Salvation” printed on her t-shirt to clarify her Good Samaritan nature). The boy has no discernible features apart from his jittery disposition, altogether adding to the ambiguity of his intentions. You can create your own theories and pick apart certain shot; the puzzle of the boy’s being there is, by the end, wonderfully vague.

Seon was competing in the Cinefondation Selection at Cannes 2013. Also published Nisimazine Cannes 2013 (page 58)