Adolescence is a blurry and volatile time, a transition of shapes, desires and dreams. It is also a journey full of ups and downs that unashamedly affects the closest people. Adolescence's moods are explored by young filmmaker Jacky Yeap in “Sometime, Sometime”, his first feature film after graduating from University Malaysia Sarawak, majoring in filmmaking. The film first premiered at the 23rd Shanghai International Film Festival in July, where it got a nomination in the Asian New Talent Awards category.
“Sometime, Sometime” is Screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
16-year-old Zi Kien (Jacky Yeap) is in a sort of limbo; school has finished, exams are over and now he just needs to wait for the results in order to decide his next move. Many of his schoolfriends are doing little jobs to earn some pocket money in the meantime, but Zi Kien can't shake himself from this idle time and spends most of his time editing videos, a hobby he treasures.
His mum Ah Mui (Tan Chui Mui) has been separated by Zi Kien's father for a long time and been single for a while and the two are understandably very close. However, both are also starting to explore life outside their tiny familial bubble and their close bonds; while Zi Kien waves from his room to his scooter and back, mum is dating Mr. Lee (Loh Kok Man). It is a different scenario from the mum-and-child one and both are troubled by the anxiety of losing each other. Zi Kien especially, at the sight of his mum and Mr. Lee going out, regresses to an annoying pesky kid status, playing pranks to the couple or claiming to be vegetarian only to disrupt a dinner out offered by the patient Mr. Lee. On the other hand, with his peers Zi Kien likes to parrot the grown-ups and show off a veneer of maturity.
As the tension level rises, Ah Mui resorts in a botched haircut and in distancing herself from Mr. Lee, but none of these moves manage to solve any problem. It is time to acknowledge that Zi Kien is becoming an adult and Ah Mui is going to allow herself to be happy even without him.
This gently told slice-of-life story, despite looking uneventful at a superficial glance, is an all too real collection of moods and feelings that accompanies a pivotal season in the life of the two protagonists and in the development of their rapport. Even more commendable if we think the director's own mother passed away when he was 5 and therefore, none of the mother-teenager relationship in “Sometime, sometime” comes from his personal experience. However, it seems that a sense of longing is buried deep in his work and that sentiment has been channeled into an instinctive understanding of the dynamics.
Interesting is how the fil rouge of Zi Kien's passion for videomaking is carried on through the narration and acquire value along the way, almost to symbolise the arc of the character. His video only looks like a lazy teenager's pastime at the beginning, but it is always with him, on his phone and along with him, it is scrutinised by Mr. Lee, by his absent father in a rather comic and surreal encounter, by his peers. Eventually, it becomes a concrete possibility, an imaginable future path for Zi Kien, his way out.
The title “Sometime, sometime” hints to the shifting nature of Zi Kien in this particular moment, changing idea and behaviour every 5 minutes and it is not just the boy that is affected by his own mutations but also Ah Mui, scared that breaking the symbiotic relationship will force her to face her own desires and goals. Aptly made with honest realism and stripped bare of any frills, “Sometime, sometime” highlights the details of the ingrained family dynamics and the nonverbal messages and reactions. The cinematography is sober and there is no music to accompany or influence the viewer, but a gentle, deadpan humour pervades all and make the final result a deal more than the sum of its elements.
It is worth mentioning that the 28-year-old filmmaker himself plays the part of Zi Kien and in the role of his mum is his real-life mentor and boss, the director, producer, writer and occasionally actress Tan Chui Mui. Leaving aside easy psychological conclusions, the set-up is quite remarkable in terms of outcome, as Jacky Yeap is incredibly believable in Zi Kien – 12 year his junior – and succeeds in turning our initial annoyance at his capricious behaviour into a final amused empathy. Moreover, Tan Chui Mui subtly constructs a mother who at first is lost exploring an uncharted territory and eventually lets her instinct guiding her moves. “Sometime, Sometime” is a thoughtful observation of an ephemeral yet fundamental step in our development, done with a light touch and a healthy dose of gentle humour. A promising debut.
