This piece first appeared for the Good Vibrations Magazine.
The trailer from the new Singaporean film 'When Hainan Meets Teochew' was enough to influence me that I were forced to watch it. The movie was premised to be a romantic comedy from the 'manly' woman, as well as a 'womanly' man, rather than usual Hollywood cliché when a handsome man meets quite a lady and they also fall in love after a little complications are overcome.
The synopsis read: “One day, a brassiere drops on Teochew. He immediately wins the lottery and decides and keep it. Hainan begins an arduous seek out her precious underwear, distributing a huge selection of missing posters around her neighbourhood. Teochew sees one from the posters, and the curiosity is piqued. Bumping into Hainan at some point, he asks concerning the brassiere, although he's no goal of returning it. Unfortunately, he lets slip over he should, and Hainan becomes suspicious…”
For those who find themselves unaware, the Hainanese of Singapore are descendants of immigrants from Hainan, China's southernmost island province. Teochews are descendants of such from the Chaozhou region of Guangdong, China. Hainanese these are reputed to produce the best husbands, while Teochew girls supposedly result in the prettiest wives. (I am Teochew but alas, I cannot speak the dialect well.)
As a sexologist, I am obviously serious about all media portrayals of gender roles and sexual orientation, specifically in Asia. I went in needing to like the film, but I had my doubts. Would the movie be contrived, further reinforce negative gender stereotypes and misconceptions, or perhaps be downright distasteful? Would the filmmaker, Han Yew Kwang, who also wrote the assembly, have the ability to pull off this kind of unlikely storyline?
Having watched it, I have to claim that Han accomplished it splendidly. Here are some explanation why:
1) The movie is entertaining. It elicited laughs even through its 'cruder' elements, including the tussle because of the main characters spanning a bra, along with delivery of slapstick humour, mainly inside Mandarin language, with Hainanese, Teochew, Tamil and English added too. This approach is extremely welcome, as I imagine it might help alleviate the discomfort the Singaporean audience can be experiencing using the film's controversial subject.
My western friends who have been with me cringed at the things they perceived as 'overacting'. As a local, my personal was different. The seemingly over-the-top acting are perceptive portrayals of how some people do indeed behave in person. Contrary to public perception, Asians can be very vocal when aggravated. In short, I was sold within the acting while I found that it is hard explaining why to my girlfriends.
2) Neither Lee Chau Min (Hainan-boy) nor Tan Hong Chye (Ms. Teochew) are professional actors. I liked the leads were cast as strong individuals. I could perceive this because I had already worked while using male lead (Tan Hong Chye) a long time ago. He would have been a costume designer for the theater production through which I was working backstage. Later, over the Q&A following screening, the filmmaker, being friends while using two leads, shared he had consulted with all the actors through the scriptwriting and this essentially the three ones came up together with the script. Hence, the actors were unengaged to give authentic responses and even more or less played themselves from the film – they're neither more butch nor more effete compared to they are in everyday living.
3) The movie, probably for the first time within the lives of countless members in the audience, brings about ask tough questions regarding what it ways to be woman or man. Is it driven by one's behavior, looks, or just their genitals? What is normal? The fact how the actors also seek advice along those self same lines of a single another and themselves only causes it to become more honest. That, therefore, we can feel liberated to ask those questions.
Actress Yeo Yann Yann plays Hainan's ex-girlfriend. Her sudden appearance propels the narrative, leading Hainan and Teochew to confront their feelings for every other. Hainan and Yann Yann share a full-on lesbian kiss on the watch's screen in a flash-back scene. This raises more questions on the difference between one's sexual orientation versus their sexual preference. Could Hainan have been inside a lesbian relationship, yet be romantically thinking about Teochew that is a feminine-looking man? Does it really matter, anyway?
The question of what is 'normal' is further emphasized from the portrayal of Teochew's Indian landlord. The landlord looks 'normal' by any standards externally but is engaged within a daily routine of conversing with a children's doll. In comparison, Teochew and Hainan are usually more well-adjusted persons.
Overall, 'When Hainan Meets Teochew' can be a unique Singaporean movie that tackles some serious gender and sexuality issues inside a light-hearted manner. It won't take itself too seriously and, so, may actually be a wonderful sex education movie. Their Facebook page has arrived.
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The trailer from the new Singaporean film 'When Hainan Meets Teochew' was enough to influence me that I were forced to watch it. The movie was premised to be a romantic comedy from the 'manly' woman, as well as a 'womanly' man, rather than usual Hollywood cliché when a handsome man meets quite a lady and they also fall in love after a little complications are overcome.
The synopsis read: “One day, a brassiere drops on Teochew. He immediately wins the lottery and decides and keep it. Hainan begins an arduous seek out her precious underwear, distributing a huge selection of missing posters around her neighbourhood. Teochew sees one from the posters, and the curiosity is piqued. Bumping into Hainan at some point, he asks concerning the brassiere, although he's no goal of returning it. Unfortunately, he lets slip over he should, and Hainan becomes suspicious…”
For those who find themselves unaware, the Hainanese of Singapore are descendants of immigrants from Hainan, China's southernmost island province. Teochews are descendants of such from the Chaozhou region of Guangdong, China. Hainanese these are reputed to produce the best husbands, while Teochew girls supposedly result in the prettiest wives. (I am Teochew but alas, I cannot speak the dialect well.)
As a sexologist, I am obviously serious about all media portrayals of gender roles and sexual orientation, specifically in Asia. I went in needing to like the film, but I had my doubts. Would the movie be contrived, further reinforce negative gender stereotypes and misconceptions, or perhaps be downright distasteful? Would the filmmaker, Han Yew Kwang, who also wrote the assembly, have the ability to pull off this kind of unlikely storyline?
Having watched it, I have to claim that Han accomplished it splendidly. Here are some explanation why:
1) The movie is entertaining. It elicited laughs even through its 'cruder' elements, including the tussle because of the main characters spanning a bra, along with delivery of slapstick humour, mainly inside Mandarin language, with Hainanese, Teochew, Tamil and English added too. This approach is extremely welcome, as I imagine it might help alleviate the discomfort the Singaporean audience can be experiencing using the film's controversial subject.
My western friends who have been with me cringed at the things they perceived as 'overacting'. As a local, my personal was different. The seemingly over-the-top acting are perceptive portrayals of how some people do indeed behave in person. Contrary to public perception, Asians can be very vocal when aggravated. In short, I was sold within the acting while I found that it is hard explaining why to my girlfriends.
2) Neither Lee Chau Min (Hainan-boy) nor Tan Hong Chye (Ms. Teochew) are professional actors. I liked the leads were cast as strong individuals. I could perceive this because I had already worked while using male lead (Tan Hong Chye) a long time ago. He would have been a costume designer for the theater production through which I was working backstage. Later, over the Q&A following screening, the filmmaker, being friends while using two leads, shared he had consulted with all the actors through the scriptwriting and this essentially the three ones came up together with the script. Hence, the actors were unengaged to give authentic responses and even more or less played themselves from the film – they're neither more butch nor more effete compared to they are in everyday living.
3) The movie, probably for the first time within the lives of countless members in the audience, brings about ask tough questions regarding what it ways to be woman or man. Is it driven by one's behavior, looks, or just their genitals? What is normal? The fact how the actors also seek advice along those self same lines of a single another and themselves only causes it to become more honest. That, therefore, we can feel liberated to ask those questions.
Actress Yeo Yann Yann plays Hainan's ex-girlfriend. Her sudden appearance propels the narrative, leading Hainan and Teochew to confront their feelings for every other. Hainan and Yann Yann share a full-on lesbian kiss on the watch's screen in a flash-back scene. This raises more questions on the difference between one's sexual orientation versus their sexual preference. Could Hainan have been inside a lesbian relationship, yet be romantically thinking about Teochew that is a feminine-looking man? Does it really matter, anyway?
The question of what is 'normal' is further emphasized from the portrayal of Teochew's Indian landlord. The landlord looks 'normal' by any standards externally but is engaged within a daily routine of conversing with a children's doll. In comparison, Teochew and Hainan are usually more well-adjusted persons.
Overall, 'When Hainan Meets Teochew' can be a unique Singaporean movie that tackles some serious gender and sexuality issues inside a light-hearted manner. It won't take itself too seriously and, so, may actually be a wonderful sex education movie. Their Facebook page has arrived.
When you cherished this post in addition to you wish to obtain more info regarding online lottery frauds india i implore you to stop by our page.
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