Indie film 'House of Hummingbird' hits 100,000 mark
Director Kim Bo-ra delivered her heartfelt gratitude to movie fans in a hand-written note on Friday for the spread of word about her film “House of Hummingbird.” / Yonhap
Director Kim Bo-ra grateful to dedicated movie fans for spreading word
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Kim Bo-ra's directorial debut film “House of Hummingbird” has attracted more than 100,000 viewers as of Friday, a rare success for an independent film.
According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), 100,692 tickets had been sold until Saturday, its 30th day of screening in Korean theaters.
“House of Hummingbird” is a coming-of-age feature film about 14-year-old Eun-hee in the 1990s and deals with the timid, meticulous girl's internal struggles to find her niche in a male-dominated, highly-competitive society.
In a hand-written letter released on Friday, director Kim delivered her heartfelt gratitude to movie fans.
“There were many times when I felt living as a woman in Korea was tough indeed,” she wrote. “I deemed that this struggle stemmed from my inner nature. I was too meticulous, so I tried to change myself to adjust to society. After sharing my movie with people, I came to realize that many of us have our own version of Eun-hee. I was surprised and so thankful for the numerous Eun-hees who all of a sudden poured out [for the movie].”
“House of Hummingbird” reached the 100,000 mark on a day with 85 screenings in several theaters.
Word of mouth has been the key driver behind the rare success. People who watched the film spread the word, encouraging others to see it.
In 2014, the documentary “My Love, Don't Cross That River” starring a woman in her 80s and a man in his 90s who have been in a happy marriage for more than seven decades, sold 4.8 million seats, topping ticket sales for independent films.
“House of Hummingbird” has won 25 awards around the world, including the Grand Prix for Best Feature Film at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival Generation 14Plus.
The low-budget movie's success comes amid the struggles of big budget commercial films this year when the centennial of Korean cinema is being celebrated.
Among dozens of films that hit theaters this year, only two movies ― “Extreme Job” and internationally renowned filmmaker Bong Joon-ho's “Parasite,” which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes International Film Festival ― sold over 10 million box office tickets.
“Exit” was also successful with 9.4 million ticket sales.
Many big budget films, such as “The Battle: Roar to Victory” and “Hit-and-Run Squad,” failed to attract movie lovers.