The film, Years of Macau, presents nine independent stories, each by a different director. As the name suggests, the stories are linked together by a simple indication of the year that they represent.
Watching the stories one by one, we are taken back to different periods of time Macau has gone through since the Handover.
As the stories guide us down memory lane, we somehow feel that we have ourselves witnessed similar situations, or may even have been personally involved in them. "The Sparkling Mind", for example, is a touching story about a young paging operator who gets emotionally involved in an undelivered message. It features a very heartwarming scene when the girl finally meets the little boy, the sender of the message. Surely this sparks our thinking about the existence of “life” behind the technological devices we have depended so heavily on since the age of beepers and pagers.
The stories also cast light on certain social problems we are actually very familiar with, but often choose to ignore. What happens between a father and son, each going up and down one of two separate staircases, is a simple depiction of the generation gap. Though they have no personal contact until the end of the story, the two, groaning and cursing all the while, actually have each other in mind the whole time. Seemingly lacking the warmth of human relationships, the film "A Moment" can somehow arouse an awareness of the need to demolish the walls between the generations.
Another social problem is our prejudice against less glamorous people in society. People we deem inferior in appearance are often held in low regard and their capabilities, if any, are not considered. In spite of the amusing genre of "A Little Summer Day", the ending surprises everyone with the glamourous TV presenter becoming the object of ridicule, feeling the sense of humiliation he has previously inflicted on Little Summer; hence a moral lesson about falling on one’s own sword.
People in society deserving our attention also include immigrant workers from mainland China. The young mother in the film "Go Back Home", like many others, has to struggle to survive on a meagre income while single-parenting an infant at the same time. The chubby baby is her only source of joy, but the final scene of the baby in the father’s arms instead of hers, leaves an unanswered question: Could this mean the couple’s happy reunion, or the tragic death of the mother on the homebound journey?
There are also reminders about Macau being a multi-cultural society. Seeing two funny men, both non-Asians, pushing their washing machine here and there, seeking its shelter, I thought I was watching a western movie. It is small wonder that the line “You speak Chinese, so you can …” provoked a loud burst of laughter. "Dirty Laundry" is indeed an amusing comedy with an interesting arrangement about the final “abode” of the washing machine.
Another reminder of Macau’s multi-culturalism is of a totally different genre. In stark contrast with the boisterous atmosphere in a café, where all eyes are on a televised soccer match, a Chinese lady with a grim look is seen walking hurriedly along the streets. The story takes a quick turn when the lady enters the café. Her arrival helps the Portuguese man, one of the TV viewers, make the right decision on what would otherwise have been his last day in Macau. "The Last Day" can be classified as a romance, though of a very rare kind.
The film "The First Cigarette" involves a few people of different social and cultural backgrounds, each with their own story. Hence, it is no easy task to connect the story threads to achieve cohesion and fullness in the film. And the act of smoking is perhaps a great contributor to this effect. In fact, almost everyone is seen to be smoking. Interestingly, a lady’s remark about her smoking trigger is a cut above the rest: “Since the people around me were all smoking, the best solution was to start smoking myself”.
The title "Till the End of the World" suggests a promise between two lovers. The dialogue is well structured to gradually reveal a picture of what is happening between the couple. You may doubt why the lady looks forlorn, seemingly cold and indifferent to the man’s heartwarming words, all the time reminding her of their happy times together. I was also impressed by the long handheld shots following the couple all the way through narrow lanes, between blocks of buildings, up and down escalators, pulling the audience into the scene, eager to find out whether the promise still holds true.
Last but not least, "The Last Show", actually the first film presented, provoked most of my thinking. The story is focused on the student’s presence for the studio’s final film presentation, while flashbacks of past interviews raise concerns about the future of the filmmaking industry. However, there is no hint of sadness, except, perhaps, for the sign on the door declaring “the closing of the business”. There is, instead, a pleasant naturalness and cheerfulness in the interaction between the director and the girl, depicting a long-standing friendship. The bun she gives him hints at the disappearance of a long-established baking method, comparable to the imminent closing of the film studio. The close-up of the director chewing the bun, first expressionless, then with a smile of satisfaction, was at first bewildering to me. But my doubts were clarified when, towards the end, I saw the amazing aerial shots – a bird’s eye view of the city. The smile of satisfaction smacks of the director’s confidence. Filming beyond the confines of the studio affords greater freedom, greater flexibility and greater possibilities. This is an amazing ending, arguably the icing on the cake.
"The Last Show" delivers a message somehow related to the situation of Macau’s film industry. The post-handover era has posed new challenges for the industry in its pursuit of sustainable development. However, we can rest assured of the filmmakers’ unshaken confidence in overcoming the setbacks and frustrations. When the nine directors and the chief actors and actresses appeared on the stage at IFFAM offering a short vote of thanks to the audience, I was convinced of their invincible tenacity in their attempts to actualize their aspirations.
In view of the enthusiasm shown by everyone involved in the production of the "Years of Macau", there is hope for the increasing prosperity of Macau’s film industry. While giving a tribute to these dedicated filmmakers, let us, the audience, also promise our support with our more frequent and regular cinema attendance.
