Screening accompanied by an introduction.

12-year old Myung-eun (Moon Seung-a) is naturally ambitious, and anxious to please her 5th-grade teacher. President of her class, she wins over the support of the other students with a letterbox where anyone can leave confidential suggestions and queries. But there is tension at home, and Myung-eun feels that her crude-talking mother and lazy father who run a stall in the local market are best kept a secret from her classmates and teacher. Gradually a gap begins to grow between the identity Myung-eun constructs for herself in school, and the life she leads at home.

Set in 1996, The Hill of Secrets begins in what feels like familiar territory for Korean independent cinema, but it gradually expands in breadth and scope to take on some unexpected themes. Presented with sensitivity by debut director Lee Ji-eun, the film is powered by a luminous performance from Moon Seung-a (The Voice of Silence, Scattered Night), one of Korean cinema’s most exceptional child actors.

Darcy Paquet