A special film screening was organized at a cineplex in Dhaka on Thursday (July 2) evening to mark the 37^th 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.