Freddie likes to sight read, to take a quick look at a piece of musical notation, then dive straight in and play it. Which sets the theme for her character, apt to jump in suddenly, take the risk and see what happens.
Aged 25, she returns to Korea from where, as a baby, she was adopted by her French parents. Despite saying it's something she wouldn't do, she goes to the adoption agency and asks if she can be put in touch with her biological parents. Her father responds and, accompanied by the hotel receptionist she's made friends with, she sets off to meet him and his family. It's a tense affair, requiring her friend and her aunt to translate to the father, with cultural differences piled on top of what was always going to be an emotional and hard-to-handle life event. When she returns to Europe it's with mixed emotions about her experience.
She'll be back 2 years later, and a further 5 after that. Each time she finds out, and grasps, more about her own background, and the culture of the country she originates from. There are powerful emotional moments as she navigates a present built on a past she doesn't fully understand. But, even though she picks up some of the language, she remains very much French. When she is finally able to connect with her mother it's a powerful bridging moment.
A powerful, pensive story about how we see ourselves as individuals, and as part of a wider society and culture. The emotional encounters, miscommunications and misunderstandings, and culture clashes, all feel grounded in real experiences. Ji-Min park is excellent as an impulsive yet withdrawn Freddie, trying to navigate environments and feelings that are alien to her, and the risks of upsetting everyone around her.
Highly recommended.
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