Our Sunhi Analysis

Our Sunhi (2013)

Written and Directed by: Hong Sang-soo

Hong Sang-soo's films are mostly set in the world of film festivals, filmmakers, film students and film critics and he makes his films by writing from 4-9 am in the mornings, on the days of shoot. There are long conversations in cafe bars where the characters are drinking, eating - he adds some conflict by having interesting relationship conflicts between them. 

This film is about Sunhi, a recent film school graduate who is looking to get a letter of recommendation from her film professor for her Masters in Film in the US. He is trying to convince her to start making films instead, and stresses the importance of practical experience - and I was getting a lot of advice there. She later confronts her ex-boyfriend who makes a film about their failed relationship. She meets another filmmaker too, and all the three men are falling for her.

The best part about the film is that, it never tries to look down on any of the men for falling for her - it respects the identity of everyone. Usually in films where more than two people are falling for one person, they tend to show some of them as stupid - just because it's tough to empathise with a lot of people. But this film respects the identity of every character - however quirky they might be.

Hong Sang-soo's films, I think, are the pinnacle of the Personal Film Movement (a term which I'm coining, haha) because Hong's process is so light where he lets conversations flow instead of forcing them. I think Hong tries to focus on getting more life experiences, so that he can effortlessly make films about them, and I think he sees himself in a lot of characters in his films. His films inspire me to be more brave while writing.