Familial bonds are questioned in Soak, a short film depicting a daughter’s tireless plea to convince her mother to return home. Yeonsoo is subjected to complicated family matters long before she first entered the world. While her mother is kind and genuinely cares, she abandoned her daughter for new beginnings at her Yeonsoo’s expense. However, as her sole caretaker, Yeonsoo feels that she owes her father a different form of loyalty and respect despite his controlling and harsh behaviour. Torn between two parents, she juggles with her morals and the pain of having two troubled parents.

South Korean writer-director, Hannah Bang, isolates the audience in a feeling of childhood fear; where the world feels unfamiliar, and we feel helpless. It’s easy to resonate with Yeonsoo as Bang strikes feelings of disappointment and jealousy within viewers. The overwhelming emotion of abandonment associated with Yeonsoo’s mom and an urge to rebel against her father but fear of the consequences captivate audiences and places them in Yeonsoo’s position; trapped with slim alternatives. 

The Jon Chu scholar delves into the beauty behind pain in her storytelling technique. A degree from the Cooper Union School in New York and MFA from the University of Southern California earned Bang directing gigs in multiple projects such as Prodigy, Voodoo Macbeth, and Ripple Effect. As a recipient of the Bridges and Larson Directing Scholarship and co-recipient of the ETC Innovative Technology Award Hannah Bang uses her talent to create beautiful and unique films.

This beautiful film deserves all the praise we are sure it will get, it is beautifully shot, the direction is superb and the acting sublime. Watch out for this young directors name, as Hannah Bang is sure to go far!

Yasmeen, Film Business Magazine