SANDIWARA - A MALAYSIAN DIASPORA
In the recent short film, aptly titled Sandiwara, (Indonesian term for "drama") is a genre of traditional theatrical drama of Indonesia. In general, it refers to any kind of drama or theatrical performance, and literally, sandiwara means "to pretend" or "to act"- Wikipedia.
Michelle Yeoh, yet again plays a muti-character trope in the same cinematic world, akin to what she has done in 2022's Everything Everywhere All At Once (EEAAO). She is doing the same thing in Sandiwara.
I have heard many masters of the trade said it - the first frame of a film says a lot about the whole film. Sandiwara starts with an upside-down shot. Quite a negative index to start with. I think Sean Baker knows his stuff. Even though in the interview he said that this is a love letter to Penang of its rich culture and heritage.
But there is always a 'red herring'. There is something that Michell Yeoh trying to show here with the multi-character trope. In my review of EEAAO back in 2022 I wrote,
"And how this is so about her and her success and tribulation as an actress for all these decades. It is so clearly depicted. Her conflicting consciousness between her real self and her screen persona is being shown as her other version in a different multiverse. But ultimately, she is a mother (and a wife) and got to understand her daughter and her demands. Michelle did the same thing to her father and now it is her turn to walk the path."
And ultimately,
"Michelle Yeoh’s character goes into a white hall wearing a mini tudung. To me, it is saying that at the core, even after decades in Hollywood and Hong Kong, she is a Malaysian. (Again…a poke at some Malaysians and their Hollywood dreams…)"
As Pak Hassan Muthalib shared recently, the fabled Oscar Award could only be achieved by Malaysian only if one is out and away from Malaysia.
Hence the diaspora dillema. I grew up watching her on VHS with her first leading role Yes Madam and up to the point of meeting her face to face in the early 2000s. She stars with Jackie Chan in Police Story 3: Super Cop, which has most action shot in Kuala Lumpur. (Which also has Michelle Yeoh dressing as a 'makcik' doing Kung Fu)
The irony lies about the country having the talents, but hit a brickwall everytime trying to move forward in the industry, with the ‘Big Brother’ from Gedebe and ‘Gatekeeper’ from Jalan Pintas - ‘coz you know, they have keep the ‘Kepala Naga’s dapur berasap’ lah, kan. The recent change of government are just mainly at the top, the ones lower down the hierarchy remains of the same people.
Calling for Oscar nominees to do 'masterclass' yet got blocked when finally following their path and advice is nothing more than a 'wayang'. A farce or a - Sandiwara.
Watch SANDIWRA here