SYNOPSIS
A woman squeezes whipped cream little by little. Suddenly, she is lost in the thought of squashing the cake with her hands. Isabel lives with her husband and two girls in the Costa Rican countryside. Her life is peaceful. She does household chores and earns some extra money through sewing. Her husband and in-laws want a third child—a son. However, she wants to design her own clothes and open a boutique. In the light and heat of Latin America, the film is full of everyday sounds and bodily senses. The camera delicately captures how Isabel washes her hair, combs her daughters' hair, uses her sewing machine, and touches different textiles. The title Hormigas means ¡°ants¡± in Spanish. As ants keep coming up to tables, sofas, and human bodies no matter how hard we brush them away, Isabel often feels uncomfortable with numb dizziness. Against the backdrop of tension and noise in everyday relationships, the portrayal of women¡¯s emotions and desires is remarkable. [LEE Hunmi]