``In Front of Your Face'' Hong Sang-soo depicts an accidental hug

embrace coincidence

"The most precious things in life have always been given to me. As I look back on my life, the most precious things have always been given to me for free or unexpectedly." (Hong Sang Soo) *3

Hong Sang-soo's movie does not have a script. The script is handed out on the morning of the shooting day, and the notes are collected once the day's shooting is over. After deciding on the actors and locations, and watching the material being filmed, the similarities between the two are linked in real time. The structure and overall picture of the film will be determined later. He says that one or two days of editing is enough. Using this method, Hong Sang-soo has been able to release his works at an unusual pace, and his sophistication has increased with each successive work. It is now an unparalleled territory. Hong Sang-soo says that he makes movies about himself and his actors' reactions to the given environment.

Sang-ok in ``In Front of Your Face'' is grateful for what he has been given. What is given to you is everything, and there is no superiority or inferiority. The beauty of life is already right in front of our faces. Sang-ok's way of life can be said to reflect Hong Sang-soo's creative approach.

“In Front of Your Face” © 2021 Jeonwonsa Film Co. All Rights Reserved

Sang-ok suddenly stops by the house where he lived when he was a child. The house had been converted into a store. There she comes into contact with a little girl. A girl who was about the same height as San-ok when he lived in this house. The audience can only see the girl from behind (and, according to the credits, her voice is dubbed). Sang-ok looks confused at the contradictory words the girl says. However, Sang-ok hugs the girl in front of him, as if forgiving the whole situation. Just like the sound of the guitar in the bar, this scene brings back memories of Sang-ok's childhood that we don't know about. She embraces the unexpected coincidence that happened before her eyes. To keep important things here. The hug that is depicted twice in this work also overlaps with the image of ` `Introduction '' (20), which has the theme of hug itself.

It is raining heavily outside the izakaya Novel. Just as the snow falling outside the pub in `` The Next Morning Is a Stranger '' was beautiful, the rain in this work is as beautiful as music. Amane is playing music with the actors. Sang-ok and Jae-won are sheltering from the rain with one umbrella, but their conversation cannot be heard. Maybe Jae-won was crying when they parted ways. It seems like Sang-ok trusts Jae-won, who is right in front of him. Even if it is irresponsibly honest.

The next morning, Sang-ok's most beautiful gesture in the film is shown. When she wakes up, she is more unperturbed than ever. Sang-ok only believes in the existence in front of him. The free light shining through the window reflects her outline and the path of her life like a polyhedral mirror. The chance given to her becomes the chamber music she plays = a part of her life. She simply admires the beauty in front of her.

*1 MUBI Notebook [ Hong Sang-soo's Homecoming by Jawni Han ]

*2 MUBI Notebook [ That Day the Snow Fell: Hong Sang-soo Discusses "Right Now, Wrong Then" ]

*3 New Yorker [ Hong Sangsoo Knows if You're Faking It ]

Text: Daiji Miyashiro (maplecat-eve)

Movie criticism. Contributed reviews to ``Leos Carax: Movie Wanderer'', Eureka's ``Wes Anderson Special'', Real Sound, Soen, otocoto, Toshio Matsumoto Special Pamphlet, etc.

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"In Front of Your Face"

Released nationwide from June 24th (Friday) at Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho, Shinjuku Cinema Karite, Uplink Kichijoji, etc.

Distribution: Mimosa Films

© 2021 Jeonwonsa Film Co. All Rights Reserved