The Bow

The Bow with Chinese, English, French, Hebrew, Italian, Portuguese and Russian subtitles is a film crafted by the esteemed Kim Ki-duk, made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival within the Un Certain Regard category. This cinematic work explores the unusual life of a 60-year-old man and a teenager, aged 16, who share a life of near isolation on a decrepit fishing vessel. The narrative unfolds with an understanding that marriage will unite them once the girl reaches the age of 17. Emblematic of Kim Ki-duk’s directorial style, the movie is noted for its sparse use of dialogue and a heavy reliance on symbolism to convey its themes.

The setting of “The Bow” is a dilapidated 40-foot fishing boat, moored off the Korean coastline. Here, an elderly man (portrayed by Jeon Seong-hwang) operates a makeshift fishing spot for tourists with the assistance of a young, seemingly voiceless girl (played by Han Yeo-reum), whom he plans to wed on her upcoming 17th birthday. This arrangement sparks various rumors among the boat’s visitors, including speculations about her being abducted at the age of six, ongoing searches by her parents, and the old man’s secondary role as a soothsayer. Despite the incredulous nature of these tales, they are revealed to hold elements of truth. To the old man, the girl embodies multiple roles: an abductee, a surrogate daughter, a lover, and soon-to-be spouse.

Throughout the film, the old man protects the girl from the lecherous intentions of the fishermen by launching arrows at those who dare approach her. His method of divining fortunes involves shooting arrows towards an image of the Bodhisattva affixed to the boat’s side, with the girl positioned perilously close by. She communicates with him in whispers, which he then relays as prophecies to the visitors. Not just a passive figure, the girl demonstrates her own prowess with the bow, both as a means of self-defense and as an instrument of her agency. Beyond its use as a tool for protection or divination, the old man also transforms the bow into a stringed instrument, drawing music from it in moments of tranquility.