Treeless Mountain is a picturesque portrait of childhood at its most painful and delightful. Sisters Jin (Hee-yeon Kim) and Bin (Song-hee Kim) are left at their aunt’s house while their mother attempts to find their father. Their mother gives them a large red piggy-bank and the children are told if they’re well behaved they’ll get coins, and once they’ve filled the pig, she’ll come home. With little support from their aunt they are left to their own devices as they attempt to find money for their piggy and bring their mother home.
The acting from the children is phenomenal. Jin, the eldest, carries the heaviest burden when her mother leaves, having to care for her little sister while she grieves for her loss. The wealth of emotions she experiences are not expressed through words, but are drawn from her face and amplified by close-up cinematography. Jin’s face fills the screen with feelings of hope and longing for her mother’s return.
Free from any explosive drama, Treeless Mountain slowly casts its lens over poignant memories of barbecued grasshoppers, climbing heaps of rubble, peeling garlic, and the ever changing appearance of the sky. The plot is limited, with little motivation and no strong conclusions, it may be prone to lull viewers to sleep. However, should you allow you’re eyes to be drawn into Jin and Bin’s lives, Treeless Mountain is abundant with cherishable subtleties to be enjoyed.
