Honja

Alone is oppressive from the very first moment and develops into a psychological thriller with horror elements. In the opening scene, the protagonist Sumin spies from his balcony on the house of neighbours over the road and happens to photograph a brutal murder - a reference to Hitchcock's classic Rear Window. It marks the start for a series of muddy events. Until Sumin wakes up and it seems he has dreamt it all. But there is no avoiding of horrific events, while it becomes less and less clear whether they are real or inside his head. Memories, dream and reality become entangled. Victims and culprits continually swap roles.
This nightmare is set in a labyrinthine residential area of Seoul. Houses are close together, but there's no one on the street. Sumin can run as far as he likes, but always seems to return to the same spot. As if he's giving us a guided tour of his disturbed brain. (International Film Festival Rotterdam)