In Water

Connoisseurs of Hong Sang-soo’s cinema will no doubt be fascinated by the transcendent minimalism of the film, which suggests Picasso knocking off a sketch on a piece of paper in a matter of seconds.

A reflection on creation, on cinema, and on love itself. [Full review in Spanish]

Hong's out-of-focus film further intoxicates us with his talent. [Full review in Spanish]

... A work that turns the gag of Woody Allen's unfocused character from Deconstructing Harry, into the central idea... [Full review in Spanish]

The fuzzy pixels lose their clear, creaturely outline and in that moment the look of the film we’ve watched for almost an hour finally articulates itself through the depression of the in-world director.

In Water spends most of its time lingering on the in-between moments, but if you take a moment to wade deeper into Hong’s film, you’ll find it has more to offer than just its unique visual style.


In Water is one of Hong’s most beautiful movies, as well as possibly one of his bleakest, and completes a kind of trilogy about the joy and agony of making cinema along with Introduction and The Novelist’s Film.

In Water, aside from being out of focus, has something to say about how the creative process is mostly about existing in the moment and staying in tune with elements that others might overlook.

The attraction is the experiment, and the experiment is lovely.

In Water has more of a sad-sack quality than...In Our Day, yet its images of young people wandering around in search of inspiration, artistic or otherwise, also have a shivery, ghostly edge that makes the melancholy feel earned.