Amidst the bustling streets of Singapore, where the cacophony of life gives way to quiet corners, Nelson Yeo's “Here is Not There” unfolds—a mesmerizing meditation on existence hidden from plain view. The narrative orbits around two nameless lovers: Hong Yu Yang, a pragmatic Malaysian worker, and Bobbi Chen, his Chinese colleague. Together, they navigate the city's deserted thoroughfares, their truck laden with offerings for the Hungry Ghost Festival.
Unsung Heroes
These lovers are the unsung architects—the ones who construct and maintain the city's fabric, yet remain invisible. Their lives revolve around odd jobs: wrapping and transporting festival tributes. For Hong, these tasks are opportunities—the ones locals shun. He embraces the graveyard shift, toiling while the majority slumbers. The city becomes their peculiar domain—an uncanny landscape devoid of human presence.
Domestic Moments Amidst Toil
Within their laborious routine, domesticity blossoms. Amidst hastily prepared instant noodles, Hong presents Chen with a glowing tank—a symbol of love and a nod to their shared memories in the cinema. Yeo's camera captures this moment, blurring the kitchen's stark reality. Suddenly, they inhabit an ethereal space. The tank's blue luminescence evokes cinema screens, where consciousness and existence merge. Within its glass walls, seemingly immortal jellyfish drift—neither male nor female, yet capable of reproduction. For Chen, it's a moment of introspection. Light shifts—electric blue, deep purple, warm red—as she contemplates her shifting worlds. Her eyes reveal secrets: a new relationship, contrasting her static employment and dwelling. What has she forgotten? What has she gained?
Balancing Intimacy and Socio-Economic Commentary
Yet, Yeo grapples with the delicate balance between intimate romance and broader socio-economic themes. Occasionally, the camera shifts focus—to security guards, flyer distributors, and restroom attendants. These underpaid, underprivileged figures populate the urban landscape. Their uniforms and clattering mailboxes tell tales of resilience and struggle.
The Inevitability of Death
Death looms—a recurring motif. When Chen is struck by a forklift in the warehouse, coworkers scramble to save her. Yeo switches to raw mobile phone footage—an unfiltered lens. Blood splatters, and the camera zooms onto Chen's face—a shrinking world. There's no time for pleas. “Not funny, not funny,” echoes through the scene. Daybreak brings scant promise; colors fade like hope.
Revealing the Unseen
“Here is Not There” unveils the invisible—the laborers, the lovers, the forgotten. Through their eyes, we glimpse a city pulsing with life and loss. Yeo's lens pierces the mundane, revealing the extraordinary within the everyday.
Written by Dr. Rozinorazali for Neo_South 1st Edition Magazine, 2023
Filmmaker Name: Nelson Yeo
Awards: NSIFF 2021 Filmuda Award
