So last Saturday i went to the Taiwan Women Film Festival 2010, in HELP uni without any expectation. I saw the trailer for "Spider Lilies' before and the thing that i concluded was: Lesbian movie.
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| I thought there will be more 18sx action |
Little did i know that during the movie i bawled my eyes out. I was wrong. It's not JUST a lesbian movie - full stop. That movie was good. It was more. I felt that the message was very profound and deep
Although the main gimmick of the movie is the taboo issue of lesbianism (At least in this part of the world it is), according to the director the other central theme of the movie is moving on. The movie depicts the different ways people choose to overcome obstacles in life and the coping mechanism that presumably helps them to go on with life. Go on with life they did but move on, no. Lil Jade is my favourite character.
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| A young Jade in her made believe world |
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When Lil jade was younger, her mother left with her brother to Taipei, leaving her with her granny. She was too young to be able to deal with such rejection from being abandoned and so she came up with the stories of how her mother died while saving her from an earthquake. Her coping mechanism is lying to herself. And thus she lives in her own fantasy world where unlike real life she has some control in her life.
Her happiness and cheerfulness is just to repress her deeper issues. Everything looks good in this window
As an adult, she decided to be a webcam girl where virtual world becomes her new fantasy world. Her fantasy world offers her a sense of control. When something doesn't go according to plan, she just shuts off by slamming her laptop. Sounds like something that can happen to us.
During the movie the feelings that i get is loneliness. The loneliness of all the character in the movie and how somehow the try to seek companionship as a remedy. And hence, it's not just a movie about homosexuality because in the movie, there was no hesitation or question about whether the girl and girl love is right or wrong. It's as though, the homosexual relationship depicted is an inherent and perfectly normal part of life. And i think it's a brilliant idea to not JUST make a lesbian movie. Sometimes to create awareness you, subtlety is the key. Adios!
