Winter in Sokcho, 2024.
Directed by Koya Kamura.
Starring Bella Kim, Roschdy Zem, Mi-hyeon Park, Tae-ho Ryu, Doyu Gong, Kyung-soon Jung.
SYNOPSIS:
A young Korean girl’s life takes an unexpected turn when a French artist visits her country, disrupting her routine.
Elisa Shua Dusapin’s novel Winter in Sokcho was a big hit in France on its release in 2016 and subsequently came to wider attention with an English translation in 2021. The book is now brought to the big screen by Koya Kamura. It follows as the title suggests a winter in the popular holiday city of Sokcho in South Korea. Sooha (Bella Kim) works at a fairly quiet guest house in the area and her daily routine, is upended by the arrival of an enigmatic French visitor, Kerrand (Roschdy Zem). Kerrand’s appearance causes somewhat of a fixation for Sooha but also makes her confront her own absent French father and identity.
Kim really carries the film with so much of it driven by Sooha’s fascination with the area’s visitor and much of it dialogue free. It does require both French and Korean dialogue which she manges to shift between with ease. The locations add a sense of tranquillity with plenty of snow, but also a sense of isolation. Kerran’s arrival adds something she has long been missing and a way of her connecting with her heritage. The dynamic between the pair is fascinating, with Kerrand an artist we get creative glimpses at Sooha’s imagination. These animated sequences are impressively scattered throughout and make the film unique.
Kim and Zem’s chemistry really grounds the film with so much focused on their interactions, both verbal and non verbal, be it the small but impactful conversations or walks around the area. The relationship clearly brings something for both and is our focal point.
Winter in Sokcho is a contemplative, slow paced film bolstered by its lead performances and locations. It pace may put some off but it is a rewarding look at the small community and the unique visuals, using animation are cleverly weaved throughout. The direction, marks Kamura as a voice to watch, bringing the beloved source material to the big screen sensitively and in a way that doesn’t lose the subtlety of the story. While it may be slight it is an impactful film that spotlights a region in South Korea perhaps overlooked by others and wonderfully captures the sense of community but also how lonely the line of work can be and the importance of even small interactions.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Chris Connor
