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A woman meets a girl. The woman is a police captain and the girl is a middle school student. Because of a scandalous affair related to her personal life, the woman was relocated to a remote island. Since her arrival, the woman encounters this girl who has been physically abused by her stepfather and grandmother. This is why the woman decides to protect the girl for a short period of time. The film A Girl at My Door presents the relationship between the woman and the girl as an encounter between two minorities.

 

A Girl at My Door is a calm yet passionate film. In the beginning, it seems to scrutinize the small town from the perspective of the foreign police captain, Young-nam (BAE Doo-na), but the story leads the audience into the middle of an intense incident. The film begins when Young-nam becomes aware of the abuses and violence practiced on Do-hee (KIM Sae-ron) by her stepfather. Her biological mother ran away and Do-hee starts to rely more and more on Yong-nam, someone who isn’t aware of all her dark secrets but wields authority as a police captain, and is similar in age to her mother. The girl is a victim of domestic violence and Young-nam is a symbol of public authority who is obliged to protect the victim. Although the story seems to present a simple relationship between the two, it flows in an unpredictable direction and creates new victims due to the intervention of Do-hee’s stepfather and Young-nam’s past. As the story approaches its final phase, A Girl at My Door portrays how cruel Korean society can be to the minorities and victims who try to survive in it.

 

Anxiety is omnipresent in this beautiful film. A contrast between the pitch darkness of night and bright light of day stands out, realistically depicting rural communities. In addition, Do-hee’s old house and Young-nam’s modern one contrast with one another and further accentuate the anxiety in the movie. As people in this small village comply in accepting illegal immigrants yet abuse their status by delaying the payment of their wages, it is no surprise that the violenceagainst Do-hee occurs without any intervention. The only safe place in this dismal town for the abused Do-hee (just like the snail that Do-hee plays with in its opening sequence) is Young-nam’s house. However, her safe haven doesn’t last long. Just like Do-hee’s short summer vacation, their relationship also comes to an end.

 

The film explains that this end was unavoidable due to the entanglement of the distorted prejudice of the villagers and the wounded heart of Do-hee, and Young-nam, who is still a minority in Korean society. Young-nam’s hand gestures in the last sequence hint at a better future, but it seems clear that the film has taken a critical position against today’s social problems. It is impossible to live under Korean society’s discrimination if you’re a minority, and only through bonding could minorities and victims stand a chance.

 

A Girl at My Door, the debut film from July JUNG, was invited to the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival. Director JUNG was successful in making a powerful character drama with two actresses. Playing the mother-like protector, BAE Doo-na, who drew international attention for her roles in Linda Linda Linda (2006), Air Doll (2009), and Cloud Atlas (2012), portrays Young-nam’s tired face against social prejudice.

 

KIM Sae-ron, playing a character the same age as her own, wonderfully expresses the subtle shadow of this ‘little monster’ who is not able to hide her anxiety, and draws sympathy from the audience. A Girl at My Door is a realistic movie that is certainly influenced by its producer, auteur LEE Chang-dong. However, director JUNG’s approach is both more kind-hearted and frank than her teacher’s. What is evident is that the Korean film industry has just discovered another rookie director to keep an eye out for.

 

By Ha Sung-tae (Contributing Editor)