A special
film screening was organized at a cineplex in Dhaka on Thursday (July 2)
evening to mark the 37th Singapore International Film Festival. The
event was organized by the Singapore High Commission in Dhaka and under the
direct supervision of Charge d’Affaires Mitchell Lee, a press release said.
The film “Amoeba”
directed by Tan Siu was screened. It is a critically acclaimed Singaporean
coming-of-age film. The story revolves around a 16-year-old school dropout who
forms a secret group with three misfit friends from her elite girls’ school and
highlights the pressure to conform to the norms prevalent in Singapore.
Analysis:
‘Amoeba’
is a remarkable coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of Singapore’s
strict and disciplined social and educational system. The main character of the
film is 16-year-old school dropout Chu Shin Yu (Renice Tay). When she
re-enrolls at Singapore’s number one and traditional ‘Confucius Girls Secondary
School’, she cannot adapt to the strict rules and regulations around her. In
this suffocating environment, she finds herself surrounded by three other
like-minded teenagers - swimmer Vanessa, rich girl Sophia and cheerful Gina.
Out of anger against the school’s strict rules and authoritarian behavior of
the authorities, they form their own informal “girl gang”. They hear stories of
gangsters from old-timey Sophia’s family car driver, Uncle Foon (Jack Kao), and
start recording their rebellious moments on a handheld camcorder. But in a
strict country like Singapore, where even chewing gum is banned, the film’s
story progresses with the crisis that these teenagers’ senseless rebellion puts
their lives in.
Strengths:
The
realist screenplay and direction are the main strengths of this film. Although
this is Tan Siu’s first feature film as a director, he has portrayed the
pressures of the Singaporean education system and the emotional tension of
adolescence very delicately and realistically. The strict rules like school
assemblies, checking the details of the uniform or checking the color of the
bra really bring the atmosphere of the film to life.
The cast’s
excellent chemistry and other things have been able to match. The on-screen
chemistry of the actresses playing the main four teenage girls was
extraordinary. Especially Renis Tay’s raspy yet emotional performance touches
the audience deeply. Veteran actor Jack Kao adds a different dimension and
humor to the film as Uncle Foon.
Linguistic
and cultural depth is also well observed. The natural way in which the bride
and groom speak in ‘Singlish’ and a mixture of English and Chinese in the film
highlights the real culture of Singapore. This is not an artificial Hollywood
genre film, but a story that is close to the ground.
However,
it may seem a bit slow and weak subplots. The pace of this 98-minute film may
seem a bit slow at times. In addition, the presence of ghosts in the main
character’s house or some supernatural elements (supernatural subplots) have
been added to the story, which did not fully fit the social message and may
distract the audience from the main plot. Also, the ending of the film is
somewhat metaphorical and ambiguous, which may not fully satisfy the general
entertainment-loving audience.
However,
an overall final assessment shows that ‘Amoeba’ is not a traditional action or
melodramatic film; it is a silent protest story of the teenage/young generation
hidden behind the shiny modernity of Singapore. Just as Amoeba survives by
changing its shape, these four teenagers also try to survive in the midst of
strict rules.
The film
has already been praised at the Toronto and Busan Film Festivals and won the
Best Youth Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Australia), the FIPRESCI
Award (given by the International Federation of Film Critics) at the Golden
Horse Awards (Taiwan), the Best Director at the Hong Kong International Film
Festival, the Youth Jury Award at the Pingyao International Film Festival
(China) and the Cinephilia Critics’ Award. It has won several international
awards.
‘Amoeba’
is a must-see film for those who like movies that are a little different,
psychological and realistic.
