Everyone has their own obsession. Kay is superstitious and receives a fortune that she will meet a man who has a question mark on his head. When she meets Lois, she believes he is the love of her life as he fits the description in the fortune. Lois plants a tree in the backyard after they move in together, but Kay disapproves. Anxious and superstitious, she uproots the tree when Lois is asleep and hides it. Kay’s eccentricity is overshadowed by her sister Sweetie’s unwanted visit. Sweetie dreamed of becoming a celebrity with her talents but has accomplished nothing except to grow older and she does whatever she pleases while catching everyone’s eye. She takes a room for herself and mistreats Kay’s belongings. On top of that, their father unexpectedly visits after his wife runs away from home - Kay’s life is a mess. 

Jane CAMPION’s feature-length debut in 1989, the story starts with Kay's anxiety and romance but branches out to the sisters' and family's story, examining the roots of the chaos. This film, dedicated to the sisters, does not try hard to explain the intimate and eccentric parts of this family, but simply expresses them. These are either the kind of embarrassing parts that you want to hide from everyone, or a world that means nothing to me – and perhaps that is why there was such a divisive reaction to this film upon its release. It is a film where the debuting director's perseverance and experimentation can be felt. [KIM Sohee]