Women's Tales II

 

Le donne della Vucciria (Hiam Abbass) revolves around a party in the middle of a town square in Palermo, Sicily in Italy where Lubna Azabal sings and dances to music with many in the town including an old couple who create puppets watch. It is a short that is just full of beauty and liveliness where Abbass keeps things straightforward in the direction. Even as she focuses on the party itself with women wearing these colorful dresses with socks that also have a sense of style.



Spark & Light (So Yong Kim) is about a young woman played by Riley Keough whose car breaks down somewhere in Iceland as she worries about her mother’s health. The 11-minute short that is shot on location in Iceland has Keough’s character trying to get a signal or some sign that leads her to a home where some strange surreal moments that also involves clothes come into play. Even as it play into her worries and such as it is a gorgeous short that features a strong performance from Keough.



Somebody (Miranda July) revolves around a group of people communicating with each other through an app that July has created as a way to connect with one another. It is a short that is offbeat in the style that July is known for as she appears in the film as a woman at a restaurant reading a menu instead of playing herself. Yet, it is a short that has a lot of heart but also things that are off the wall while using the clothes to help play into this sense of quirkiness.



De Djess (Alice Rohrwacher) revolves around a fashion show hosted by nuns who found dresses on a beach wrapped in plastic as one of the dresses comes to life wanting to be worn by a young maid only for a divaesque model wanting to wear it. It is definitely one of the best shorts of the series in its approach to surrealism and humor where the models who wear these dresses are prey to the paparazzi while the main model played by Alba Rohwacher while Yanet Mojica plays the young maid who is in love with this dress as the dress chooses her. It is definitely a tremendous short worth watching as it showcases the brilliance of Alice Rohrwacher.



Les 3 boutons (Agnes Varda) has a young woman who receives a package where it is revealed to be a big pink gown that is filled with wonders as she would walk around Paris trying to discover the world outside of her small farm life. Starring Jasmine Thiere as this young farm girl who talks to the camera about her life and her own desires. The film has her walking around Paris in a simple dress where she would lose three buttons yet there is this lore about losing three buttons which means that the young woman would get three wishes as there is a sense of beauty and wonderment that Varda would display as it is a tremendous gem from one of the great filmmakers that ever lived.



Related: Part I - Part III – Part II - Part IV – Part V

© thevoid99 2023

For Ellen

Written and directed by So Yong Kim, For Ellen is the story of a musician who deals with a custody battle for his daughter as well as his life as traveling musician. The film is an intimate portrait into the life of a young man trying to see his daughter while wondering if he is a good father. Starring Paul Dano, Jon Heder, Jena Malone, Shaylena Mandigo, Margarita Levieva, and Dakota Johnson. For Ellen is a touching yet harrowing film from So Yong Kim.

The film is a simple story about a traveling musician who arrives at a small town to finalize his divorce from his ex-wife as the documents he is to sign would have him lose custody of his daughter whom he doesn’t see. The film explores a young man trying to deal with everything he’s losing in his family life while he’s reaching a bottom over the fact that he is going to see his daughter even less since he and his ex-wife don’t get along. Though his lawyer tries to help, Joby Taylor (Paul Dano) realizes that he’s in a no-win scenario though he is able to get a chance to see his daughter. So Yong Kim’s screenplay is very minimalist as the first half explores Joby’s issues as he’s dealing with custody case and other things while the second half is about him spending time with his daughter but also realizes that she might not need him since her mother is going to marry someone.

Yong Kim’s direction is very simple as she goes for a lot of intimate shots and compositions while making things feel very real with bits of movement through the hand-held camera. A lot of it includes a lot of silent scenes where Joby deals with his situation as he’s also going through issues with his band and the fact that he’s losing something much more. While it’s a style that tends to drag a bit at times, it does play into the sense of loss that Joby is feeling as the film’s second half does pick things up a bit once he spends time with his daughter Ellen (Shaylena Mandigo) whom he gets to know while realizing that her life is going to change and such. Notably as Yong Kim’s direction creates some key moments that are heartbreaking to explore what Joby is losing. Overall, Yong Kim creates a very compelling yet tender film about a father dealing with the fact that he’s never going to see his daughter again.

Cinematographer Reed Morano does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it‘s mostly natural for much of the film‘s exterior settings though he aims for low-key lights and such for interior/exterior scenes at night. Editors Bradley Gray Rust and So Yong Kim do nice work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward with not a lot of cuts to convey Joby‘s emotions. Production designer Ryan Warren Smith does fine work with the minimal set pieces such as the home of his lawyer and the motel room that Joby stays in. Sound designers Ian Stynes and Geoff Vincent do terrific work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the locations including some scenes at the bar and at the mall. The film’s music by Johan Johannsson is fantastic for its low-key ambient score to play into Joby‘s despair while music supervisor Rachel Fox creates a soundtrack that largely consists of hard rock and heavy metal as well as other types of music from acts like Whitesnake, the National, and the Beastie Boys.

The casting by Sig De Miguel and Stephen Vincent is superb as it features a mostly small ensemble that includes appearances from Dakota Johnson as a woman Joby meets a bar, Margarita Levieva as Joby’s bitter ex-wife Claire, and Jena Malone as Joby’s girlfriend Susan who appears very late in the film. Jon Heder is terrific as Joby’s lawyer Fred who is handling his case and just trying to figure out what Joby is going to do. Shaylena Mandigo is amazing as Joby’s daughter Ellen who is just very natural and low-key as a young girl who is just meeting her father while figuring out why he isn’t around much. Finally, there’s Paul Dano in a brilliant performance as Joby as a musician dealing with a custody battle where he realizes how much he’s going to lose as well as the fact that things in his music career isn’t going well as Dano brings an anguish that is just captivating to watch.

For Ellen is a stellar film from So Yong Kim that features a mesmerizing performance from Paul Dano. Though it’s minimalist approach won’t be for everyone, it is still an engaging film for the way it explores a young man dealing with his actions and what he is losing as he tries to fight to be with his daughter. In the end, For Ellen is an enchanting film from So Yong Kim.

So Yong Kim Films: (In Between Days) - Treeless Mountain

© thevoid99 2013

Treeless Mountain

Written and directed by So Yong Kim, Treeless Mountain is the story about a young girl and her younger sister who live with their aunt while their mother tries to find their estranged father. When their mother’s return is becoming uncertain, the girls deal with that possibility as well as the fact that their new home life isn‘t as promising as it could be pondering lots of question for these two girls. The film is a coming-of-age story that is told from the perspective of a young girl who has to deal with these changes. Starring Hee Yeon Kim, Song Hee Kim, Soo Ah Lee, Mi Hyang Kim, and Boon Tak Park. Treeless Mountain is a rich and entrancing film from So Young Kim.

The bond of family is something important when it is told to a young child about making sure that things be OK. In this film, it’s about a girl and her younger sister dealing with their mother’s abandonment as they have to live with their alcoholic aunt who isn’t the right person to take care of them. This situation would force this young girl in Jin (Hee Yeon Kim) to fend for herself as well as take care of her younger sister Bin (Song Hee Kim) while they wait for their mother to return. Even as they have to do things like sell burnt grasshoppers to kids in order to fill their piggy bank with money as their mother claimed she will return once the piggy bank is full. Yet, that promise seems to be more uncertain when their mother hasn’t returned where their aunt makes a decision that she hopes will help the girls.

So Yong Kim’s screenplay doesn’t really have much of a narrative structure nor much dialogue in order to showcase a young girl dealing with these changes as she and her sister are forced to move from the big city to a smaller town to live with their aunt. Though the adjustment wasn’t easy for the girls and their aunt as the latter isn’t a very responsible person, she does occasionally feed them and such though the girls would get more help from a neighbor who feeds them from time to time while the girls play with her Downs syndrome-afflicted son. Still, that air of uncertainty is in the air as Jin has to be there for Bin though both girls are still reeling from their mother’s absence.

Kim’s direction is quite straightforward in terms of the film’s minimalist presentation as Kim is interested in the life of these young girls. Shot in South Korea, Kim showcases a world where a girl’s life is being drastically changed as she is seen as a gifted student in school though her home life isn’t all great though she and her sister are still well-provided. Once they go into a more small town situation where things are a bit cramped, the girls are able to adapt as Kim does keep a lot of the framing and compositions straight while using some wide shots to showcase the world. Notably as she also uses some close-ups and tight shots to present that sense of loss that the girls are dealing with where the third act has them being taken to another place where the bond of the two sisters would strengthen. Overall, Kim creates a very majestic and touching film about two young girls coming together in the wake of unforeseeable circumstances.

Cinematographer Anne Misawa does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from the use of sunlight in many of the film‘s exteriors as well as some gorgeous shots of the sky during dawn and evening. Editors So Young Kim and Bradley Rust Gray do terrific work with the editing to maintain that air of uncertainty through some slow yet effective use of pacing. Production designer See-hee Kim does nice work with some of the film‘s minimal set pieces from the home of the girls‘ aunt as well as some of the places they go to.

The sound work of Eric Offin is wonderful for the sparseness that is created in many of the scenes to establish the atmosphere in some of the film‘s moments in the river and suburban setting. The film’s music only appears in the final credits as it features a plaintive piece by Asobi Seksu as well as a cut from the band Grandaddy.

The film’s cast is brilliant as it features some notable small performances from Mi Hyang Kim as the girls’ somewhat irresponsible aunt, Kim Mi Jung as a kind neighbor who offers to help the girls out, Boon Tak Park as the girls’ grandmother whom the girls meet late in the film, and Soo Ah Lee as the girls’ mother who reluctantly has to leave them in order to find their estranged father. Finally, there’s the performances of Song Hee Kim and Hee Yeon Kim in their respective roles as Bin and Jin as they both give fantastic performances as two young girls dealing with the reality of their situation with Hee Kim as the more out-going Bin while Yeon Kim is more reserved as the older Jin who tries to come to terms with this new reality as she is forced to grow up.

Treeless Mountain is a truly exhilarating and heartfelt film from So Yong Kim. Armed with a great cast and a powerful theme on family bonds, it is a film that explores a girl coming of age in a situation that would provide big changes prompting her to be there for her younger sister. While it’s presented in an unconventional manner, it is still accessible for the way it showcases the relationship between sisters. In the end, Treeless Mountain is a splendid film from So Yong Kim.

So Yong Kim Films: (In Between Days) - For Ellen

© thevoid99 2013