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2023.09.27 19:23

NYFF61: Hong Sangsoo's Artist Statement "In Water" ★★★★☆

sukie

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NYFF 61 (9/29-10/15)

'In Water (물 안에서)' ★★★★☆

Hong Sangsoo: What is Cinema? An Artist Statement

*Korean version

https://www.nyculturebeat.com/?mid=Film2&document_srl=4106425

In Water (2023) by Hong Sangsoo

Director Hong Sangsoo's "In Water" was invited to the Encounters section of the Berlin International Film Festival in February, and his 30th feature film "In Our Day" was screened as the closing film of the Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival in May of this year. Both films were invited to the 61th New York Film Festival. These two films represent a culmination of Hong Sangsoo's views on art and life.

"In Water," a 61-minute film produced, written, directed, shot, edited, and scored by Hong Sangsoo himself, serves as Hong Sangsoo's 'Artist Statement.' In this film, he appears to be 'confessing' or 'justifying' why he steadfastly creates movies that deviate from the mainstream and are often overlooked by Korean audiences. After his relationship with actress Kim Min-hee became known to the world in 2016, Hong's films only managed to attract between 5,000 and 20,000 viewers in Korea.

In Water (2023) by Hong Sangsoo

Most of the scenes in "In Water" were intentionally filmed out of focus. The story revolves around two men and a woman staying on Jeju Island, a place known for its numerous travelers, rocky landscapes, and strong winds. They are Seung-mo (played by Shin Seok-ho), who wants to film a short film; Seong-guk (played by Ha Seong-guk), who will be in charge of filming; and actress Nam-hee (played by Kim Seung-yun). Seungmo, a former actor, is attempting to make a movie with the 3 million won ($2,200) he saved from his part-time job, even though he doesn't have a script ready yet.

In Water (2023) by Hong Sangsoo

Seungmo, who sets out to find a story while location hunting on a tourist island, represents the cineaste's penance. It is also a self-portrait of Hong Sangsoo. His working method is to quickly film everyday stories without a completed script, on a low budget, and with the participation and cooperation of people around him. Until the camera is set up, everything to Seungmo is blurry and uncertain, as if he is underwater. Finally, Seungmo, inspired by a woman picking up trash at the bottom of a cliff, finds a story and begins shooting a movie.

In Water (2023) by Hong Sangsoo/ Stranger Than Paradise (1984) by Jim Jarmusch

Instead of the vibrant scenery seen by tourists, the three young people encounter a desolate, hazy landscape reminiscent of an impressionist painting or a faded work by Edvard Munch. Jeju Island becomes a barren terrain like the Florida and Cleveland depicted in director Jim Jarmusch's "Stranger Than Paradise" (1984).

Seungmo tells his colleagues that the reason for making movies is "it's difficult to create financially successful films, so it's a matter of honor" and "I want to create something creative before it's too late." He dreams of making his own original film rather than copying movies he has seen before. His inspiration doesn't come from fiction but from everyday life and reality around him. He even composes music instead of using pre-made music.

In Water (2023) by Hong Sangsoo

The world of defocus in the film may serve as a metaphor for the ambiguous circumstances, frustrating psychology, and the unknown realm before the film is completed. The audience shares Seungmo’s arduous journey as an artist. It can be a trying time or an exciting exploration of the inner self of a determined artist.

“Come to your senses!” Namhee experiences in the middle of the night. Although sound is invisible, it seems to be an experience of something that can exist. We are imperfect beings who cannot predict the future. One of the scenes that comes into focus in "In Water" is the opening scene where three people who are staying together, get into a fight with Seung-mo, who is attempting to cut a piece of leftover pizza with scissors to share.

In Water (2023) by Hong Sangsoo/ Death in Venice (1971) by Luchino Visconti

In the final scene of "In Water," Seungmo walks into the sea. Seungmo, who disappears in the blurry image of the long take, is both lonely and holy. This ending is reminiscent of a scene in director Luchino Visconti's "Death in Venice"(1971), where the handsome boy Tadzio enters the sea and poses. Tadzio, the boy longed for by the musician Aschenbach (played by Dirk Bogart), symbolizes perfect beauty and the pinnacle of art. In "Death in Venice," Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5 plays majestically, while in "In Water," Hong Sangsoo's composition and Kim Min-hee's song are accompanied by guitar. "In Water" may very well serve as the artist's statement on "Why I Make Movies," representing the cinematic path that Director Hong Sangsoo has steadfastly walked.