She
Remembers, He Forgets is a film directed by Adam
Wong Sau-Ping. The 22th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award winning film
focuses on the life of Yu Feng-zi and Pang Shing-wah, which are played by
famous local singer/actress Miriam Yeung and Jan Lamb. The two have known each
other since secondary school. Time flies, they get married and live on their
life like typical Hong Kong citizens, working very hard but being underpay,
staying in an unpleasant job just to support their living. One day during a gathering with
her old schoolmates, it reminds Feng-zi of how her youth used to be like, the
dreams she had and a friend called So Bok-man…
The film
can be divided into two parts: the life in 1992 and the life now. Using the
flashback of Feng-zi memories in 1992, it shows the contrast of the mindset of
Hong Kong citizens, especially youngsters, before the 1997 handover. According
to Halbwachs (1992), he suggested that memory is the core of our identity, it
connects to who we are to who we once were. In her youth, Feng-zi dreams about
travelling around the world. However, she cannot escape from the cruel reality,
working in a travel agency doesn’t allow her to pursuer her dream. Her memories
and decisions from the past help her to shape who she is today.
Halbwachs
(1992) also mentioned that there are types of memories: individual memories and
collective memories. To people living in 1992, the handover is a live-changing
event as the future of Hong Kong is uncertain. This is an example of collective
memories as is it shared between two or more people of a social group, the
pre-97 Hong Kong citizens. In the film, students have to prepare themselves to
face the challenges of becoming adults, as well as the unforeseeable future of
this metropolitan. They have to decide whether they will stay or immigrant to
the U.K. Bok-man and the teacher once say that Hong Kong is not a place for you
to dream, therefore, Bok-man left this city and continue chasing his dream as
being a pilot aboard.
Some
also suggested that the triangle relationship between Feng-zi, Bok-man and
Shing-wah is a reflection of Hong Kong, China and the U.K. Wah Yan College is
an essential shooting location for this film and the screenwriter Chan Sum Yiu.
As the school being her alma mater, it might have influences in producing the
film. Individual memories might be implanted in different scenes. Also, the
intertext of this film has played an important part for audience to set the
scene, reconnecting their memories and daily life with the movie. Some of the
examples are Game Boy, actress Helen Tam, Kai Tai airport, which symbolized the
90’s. As Lee (2009) put forward that nostalgic intertextuality
function as a medium for historical reflection, self-discovery, and cultural
critique.
The idea
of dream has linked up the whole film, it used the plane they made to represent
their dreams. Although Bok-man dies in a flight accident while trying to pursue
his dream, at least he tried, unlike Feng-zi and Shing-wah. At the finale of the
film, it shows the two main characters in their adults, flying plane with student.
This reconnected with their old memories, and remind the audience not to forget
their dreams and live with passion.
word count: 556
Lo Yuen Tung Kary
10620206
10620206
Reference:
Lee, V. P. Y. (2009). Hong Kong cinema since 1997: The post-nostalgic imagination. Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Halbwachs, M. (1992). (Ed. & translated
by Coser. L.A.) Chapter 1-4. On Collective Memory. (pp.41-53). Chicago: The
University of Chicago Press.
庸生 (2015)《哪一天我們會飛》：不必後悔當日的選擇，只需堅持昔日的夢想 Retrieved from http://www.inmediahk.net/node/1038728
作者已經移除這則留言。
回覆刪除Dear Kary, The most theoretical part of your writing should be the third paragraph about "collective memory". There are traces of analysis of the film in relations to the local context though the connection between the film and the development of Hong Kong is very obvious with reference to the cited plot. Other parts are mostly descriptive. The story and details are reiterated and explained.You can try to discuss whether the ideologies behind the film are traditional or subversive if you cannot find out something theoretical to write about.
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