In its 2020 edition, Queer East Film Festival too offers its program online. The festival launched a charitable initiative to raise money to support independent cinemas. Welcome to the Queer East: HomeSexual Edition that features five programmes, with 17 feature-length and short films from 9 countries. Their stories celebrate inspiring queer activism and storytelling from East and Southeast Asia
“Momo” is part of Shorts 1: She/Her at Queer East HomeSexual Edition on Demand 18 April – 17 May.
When looking for the root of troubles, French would point you to a woman. In “Momo”, you have three of them. Sohee, her girlfriend Yujin, and her ex Areum. Yet, it is a cat that becomes the root of the problem. After their break-up, Areum got to keep Momo, the cat. Now, she is about to move to Germany and Momo needs a new home. Sohee is the perfect and logical choice, but Yujin is against it.
Chang as the director and scriptwriter of “Momo” opts for subtlety and the actress' expressions than on verbalization of the issue. All three women are presented as practical and very rational in their decisions. Or, they act so. It is the poor Momo that stirs the emotions, even if only for the protagonists to rationalize them. Yet, the way the three women are presented, they are each easy to relate to. And “Momo” gives its audience time to get to know the characters enough to feel their rational approach to an unvoiced problem. This brings in kind of an independent, “objective” point of view that is very personal at the same time. The precise acting of Han Hae-in, Cha Ji-won, and Kim Yoon-ha comply with the mood and setting and leave the impression of lingering.
“Momo” is one of those films that don't beat around the bush, yet manage to do so in a sophisticated way. It is easy to look at but not superficial. Additionally, it presents some simple and pragmatic ideas for life and redefines the notion of the already notorious Schroedinger's cat.
