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| yna@yna.co.kr 2024-08-28 07:13:46
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- "What can you two even do? Can you register your marriage? Have children? Can you become a family?" "Don't you think it's people like you who are stopping us from doing that?"
The argument between 'Me' (Oh Min-ae) and 'Daughter' (Lim Se-mi) suddenly comes to a halt as silence fills the room. Despite her daughter having been in a relationship with another woman for seven years, 'Me' cannot accept that her daughter is a lesbian. Although she taught her daughter to speak out against injustice, she vehemently opposes her daughter's fight for a colleague who was dismissed from a university position due to being a sexual minority.
When her daughter questions why she seems like a different person, 'Me' simply responds, "Because you are my daughter."
Director Lee Mi-rang's debut feature film, "Concerning My Daughter," tells the story of a mother who ends up living under the same roof with her daughter and her daughter's same-sex partner (played by Ha Yoon-kyung). The film explores the mother's gradual journey toward understanding a daughter who she believed had not chosen a "normal" life.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by Kim Hye-jin, which won the 36th Sin Dong-yup Literary Award. While the film retains the key characters and plot of the novel, it moves away from the novel's first-person narrative and formal tone, relying more on expressions, sounds, and mise-en-scène to capture the essence of the story visually.
The narrative alternates between the protagonist's daily life at work and at home, highlighting the duality of her identity as both a devoted caregiver for elderly dementia patients and the head of her household. At work, she is meticulous in her care for patients, particularly a lonely elderly woman named Jae-hee (played by Heo Jin), whom she treats with the utmost respect, almost as if she were her own mother. She refuses to bind the woman's limbs or put her in diapers, seeing in her the potential future of her own daughter.
But back at home, the sight of her daughter living as a couple with another woman fills her with unease. The mother's concerns are rooted in her belief that her daughter has rejected the societal safety net of the "normal" family and chosen an unstable life instead.
While the film might remind some viewers of Byun Gyu-ri's documentary Coming to You (2021), which also deals with parents coming to terms with their children's sexual identity, Concerning My Daughter offers a more relatable portrayal of societal prejudices. The protagonist's initial denial, "My daughter isn't like that," reflects deeply ingrained societal biases, making the story more resonant for many viewers.
However, Concerning My Daughter does not leave the mother and daughter on opposing sides forever. The film suggests that while full understanding may be out of reach, love remains possible, as the mother gradually begins to change.
The film is not just about the relationship between a mother and daughter but also serves as a commentary on society's marginalized individuals, whom we often overlook. The daughter is a part-time lecturer dismissed after leading a protest against the university, while the mother is a low-wage worker at risk of being laid off at any time. Meanwhile, Jae-hee, who was once highly respected, is now a frail elderly woman with no family to care for her. The film asks the audience a heavy question: Will we continue to ignore these marginalized individuals, or will we choose to live alongside them?
The film's understated direction contrasts with its dramatic storyline, allowing the audience to reflect deeply on these questions. As viewers become immersed in the film, they are encouraged to empathize with the struggles of the marginalized characters, demonstrating the importance and value of independent cinema.
Director Lee Mi-rang stated, "If it's impossible to fully understand someone, then what can we do? This film is about the process of continuously reaching out to others despite that. I wanted to capture certain moments of connection and relationships."
The film was awarded the CGV Prize at the 28th Busan International Film Festival and earned Oh Min-ae the Actor of the Year award for her portrayal of the mother. It also won the Audience Award and Best Cinematography (Kim Ji-ryong) at the 49th Seoul Independent Film Festival, as well as the Best Director Award at the 12th Muju Mountain Film Festival.
Concerning My Daughter is set to be released on September 4th. The film is 106 minutes long and rated suitable for viewers aged 12 and up.
[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]