A Family Tour

Alongside his companion piece "I Have Nothing to Say", Liang Ying delivers an autobiographical tale based on his own family holiday and struggles as a political filmmaker, as well as growing concerns of mainland Chinese political influence growing in Hong Kong.

Shu (Zhe Gong), a film director and lecturer, travels to Taiwan from Hong Kong with her husband Ka-ming (Pete Teo) and son. Attending a festival where her film from five years ago will be screened, the trip is a cover-up for Shu to meet with her mother Xiaolin (Nai An), still living in Shanghai - a place where Shu is unable to visit, being that she is living in a self-imposed exile in Hong Kong.

To offer Xiaolin the opportunity to meet her grandson for the first time, Shu and her family follow Xiaolin's coach tour of Kaohsiung, but at a distance to ensure their secret remains safe, so as Xiaolin will avoid interrogation from the authorities on her return to Shanghai as to her reasons for visiting Taiwan.

A natural distance, therefore, is shown, both physical and emotional, Shu not having seen her mother for five years. To start, the pair are unsure how to respond on seeing each other for the first time. Ka-ming acts more as the linking presence due to his frequent visits to see his mother-in-law; free to move between Hong Kong and Shanghai. But as the film develops, they open up more as to the complex situation. But, with Shu having difficulties getting her next project off the ground and learning that her funders have disappeared, it becomes apparent that all will not be well for Xiaolin upon her return.

Taken ill as the trip draws to an end, Xiaolin has to return to Shanghai early for treatment. Ka-ming flies back with her, but she leaves Shu knowing that it will be the last time they ever see each other.

Despite its release before "A Family Tour", "I Have Nothing to Say" shows the aftermath of the trip: Xiaolin interrogated about her visit to Taiwan. Entirely in black and white, episodes from the holiday and meeting with her daughter are shown from the mother's perspective as she reflects on them. "A Family Tour", however, is entirely in colour, with some of the exact same scenes featuring again, though more vibrant.

The colour also adds more life to the situation. "I Have Nothing to Say" is recalling memories of the trip from Xiaolin's perspective, whereas "A Family Tour" shows more angles, with more equal focus on the mother, her daughter and her son-in-law. But where its predecessor focused more on past events, "A Family Tour" has more of a future focus. Ying obviously puts his own anxieties on the table in depicting Shu's difficulties with getting her new film project made. Not having made a film for five years, she struggles to get actors to take on the film about the Umbrella Movement. Greater fears are shown in the film's backers mysteriously disappearing when in China.

Ka-ming takes a positive outlook, but Xiaolin shuts this down as Hong Konger nonsense. Ying perhaps has even greater anxieties regarding the growing influence of China in Hong Kong, having experienced difficulties himself. The film Shu is in Taiwan to screen is Ying's own 2012 film "When Night Falls" - the film which led to his exile in Hong Kong after angering the authorities. There is, therefore, a lot of Ying in this film: based on a trip he took with his in-laws to Taiwan, with Shu's situation reflecting his own.

Taiwan is shown as a nice medium - a happier place with its independence - but "A Family Tour" isn't too heavy-handed in its politics, despite being present throughout. There is still a story of a divided family being shown, with Ka-ming almost serving as a link between the two women, and seemingly having a better relationship with his mother-in-law than his wife does with her own mother. To start, her grandson is cold towards Xiaolin. But by the film's conclusion, he is happy to sit with her and pose for photos, which he refused on first arriving in Taiwan. The tour guides also offer some comedy and light-relief to stop it getting too bogged-down in politics.

Despite coming after "A Family Tour" chronologically, "I Have Nothing to Say" acts as a good appetiser, giving a brief glimpse before the main event sheds more light on the journey, but also serves as a reminder that in making this trip some people believe Ying has a lot to answer for.

Bad Poetry Tokyo

"Bad" isn't just in the title of Anshul Chauhan's feature debut "Bad Poetry Tokyo". There is a lot going on in this film that could be classified as bad, so much so that there is a push to extremes to outdo itself. As such, we are left with a film that can be difficult to enjoy, much like the life of its lead.

Small town girl Jun (Shuna Iijima) has big Hollywood ambitions, moving to Tokyo in the hope of finding the opportunity to move on towards the US. A graduate in English, she flaunts her language skills at an audition for a film shooting in Canada. But, as so often revealed, the bright lights of Tinsel Town cast an even greater shadow.

Her acting career not yet actualised, she spends her nights working in a hostess bar, while in a relationship with one of the bar's employees, Taka (Orson Mochizuki). Sleeping with other girls from the bar, however, he justifies himself to Jun by knowing what she gets up to with her clients each night. Far from a happy life, one bad night pushes Jun away from her job, her lover, her dreams and, of course, Tokyo.

On her period (actually), Jun is simply not in the mood to meet with a key client and his somewhat unsympathetic advances. Skipping work, she returns home to find a man going through her possessions in the dark. Eventually recognising him as a friend of Taka, he hits Jun, leaving with the money she has saved for her dream move to LA. Jun is now aware that she has no money, a boyfriend she can't turn to and a job she can't return to.

She heads for what she believes is her only option: home. In a small town sitting beneath the mountains, she finds her mother has committed suicide and receives anything but a warm welcome from her father after a five year absence. A clearly troubled past between the two, Jun simply wants her share of the inheritance she feels owed from the sale of her grandparents' land. But her father has other ideas.

While she waits for her father to hand over the money, she runs into former school friend Yuki (Takashi Kawaguchi); clearly a fan of hers. It is not long before the pair are drinking, smoking and hmm-hmming with each other. Yet the short but turbulent trip home opens up old wounds for Jun and leads Yuki to acts seemingly beyond him, resulting in some very, very bad things.

Starting at the end, Yuki's switch from seemingly happy-go-lucky local boy to murderer after a couple of days, seems too sudden and unbelievable a turn. But perhaps here, Chauhan is trying to emphasise the negativity surrounding Jun and how it spreads to Yuki; her words of how "bad" she is challenging him, eventually pushing him to his bad side. Though little is really known of Yuki before the past couple of days.

This negative energy, however, can also stretch to the audience somewhat. By the film's conclusion, and the further pushing the extremes of what can happen in one life, both Jun's life and the film itself need some light relief. While dealing with dark or serious subject matter, there is always room to throw in some more comedic or lighter moments. "Bad Poetry Tokyo's" sole piece of light relief comes in the form of a somewhat lurid skinny-dipping scene coming a little unexpectedly, but seems filled with too much symbolism to act as the relief required; as unnecessary as the various shots of Iijima in her underwear.

There is something of the foreign in "Bad Poetry Tokyo". Directed by an Indian, Taka is played by Japanese-African-American Orson Mochizuki and Jun's sole friend in Tokyo, Nana (Nana Blank), is Russian (I think), with many crew members also non-Japanese natives. This, therefore makes "Bad Poetry Tokyo" somewhat reminiscent of Abbas Kiarostami's "Like Someone in Love", featuring an escort at the centre, with a jealous boyfriend in Tokyo. As Chauhan himself admits, he doesn't know much of the world of hostess bars, and so the career is not explored in too much depth. Likewise Kiarostami's film sees the escort more providing company for her client rather than sex, showing that an external view may not always shed any new light.

There is a lack of progress in Jun's life. In returning home, her dream shattered, the spark that causes the finale confirms what she already knew: that she should never have gone back. Jun's arrival prompts an immense character switch in Yuki for the worse, potentially ending any possible reconciliation for her life, as a seemingly remorseful Taka seeks her out - though his coolness and manipulative nature leave little certain as to his intentions. In the end, running away from everything is Jun's only option.

But despite all this bad stuff going on, is "Bad Poetry Tokyo" a bad film? Well, it's not bad. There is some good filmmaking on display here, with some good cinematography and an ever-increasing claustrophobia. Iijima's performance in the lead is a good one, but she is treated to a laundry list of negativity: past, present and future. Breaking the constant barrage up would have helped not only Jun but the film in making a greater impact, avoiding a nagging sense of boredom as to what is to come next. A smile wouldn't hurt...well, maybe for Jun, having had her face smashed in.

Nobody Knows

Kore-eda Hirokazu's fourth film "Nobody Knows" is a film I have a lot of nostalgia for, probably clouding my judgement on its actual quality to some extent. First watching it in Newcastle in 2005, I was intrigued by the film's premise and documentarian director at a time when my overall knowledge of Japanese cinema didn't stretch much beyond "Rashomon", "Akira" and "Ringu".

Keiko (YOU) moves into a new apartment building with her only son Akira (Yuya Yagira). That's what their new landlords believe, anyway. Moving in with two suitcases, they are opened - once the landlords are out of sight - to reveal Akira's two younger half-siblings, Shigeru (Hiei Kimura) and Yuki (Momoko Shimizu). But it doesn't end there. Akira is sent to the train station to meet Kyoko (Ayu Kitaura), his other sister, completing a family of five in a small apartment.

Having four children fathered by four different men, Keiko lacks a little commitment and responsibility. Soon she disappears off, telling Akira she has found another man, much to Akira's disbelieving amusement. As such, she soon disappears for an extended period, leaving Akira in charge with money for rent, bills and food. Here and there, she returns, bringing with her presents. But elders Akira and Kyoko know it will be short lived. Soon, her visits become less frequent; money being sent in envelopes in the post, until full abandonment is realised.

Akira, a twelve year-old, soon wants rid of his responsibility, trying to escape the apartment as much as possible, finding friends and inviting them round to play computer games, as well as playing for a local baseball team. But he is still drawn to his younger siblings, though with money now non-existent, with little for food, rent and bills. As such, the inevitable happens to the youngest and most vulnerable.

From the scenario it is possible to identify many possible flaws in the story. The lack of action from the landlord on the rent not being paid; and one of their apartments increasingly becoming a festering hovel must have been noticeable. The children's reaction themselves also may perhaps be difficult to fully accept for some, carrying on in their stride, not looking to adults for real action to save them from starvation.

But "Nobody Knows" is based on the real case of "The West Sugamo 4 Abandoned children Incident", where four unregistered children fathered by different men were abandoned by their mother as she left for a new lover. Over a period of six months, the eldest son was left in charge of his three younger siblings, resulting in the death of his younger sister; then buried close to his father's old place of work. As such, the unrealistic elements make the situation even more shocking at how an event would be allowed to happen so naturally.

The film was fifteen years in the making for Kore-eda, and over the decade-and-a-half later on its release, the social phenomenon on unnamed children without homes was in decline; and so the 2004 setting may not be up with the times, granddad. But this was something that still very much happened, and the ignorance of all involved is explored here by Kore-eda.

Not just to the specific situation in question, "Nobody Knows" looks at society ignoring children in general. The four dads have all abandoned their children before their mother, and Akira's pestering his mother's former lovers for a few quid - both of who claim to not be Yuki's father - shows a lack responsibility and an attitude of looking out for one's self; as well as black humour of their denial of parentage, but willingness to let the children suffer silently. Convenience store workers also help out: forging their mother's handwriting for New Year's presents and handing out leftover sushi (interchange between soundtrack vocalist Takako Tate and always-in-the-film Ryo Kase), but is a simple "give a man a fish..." solution, delaying the inevitable.

The addition of fifth "abandoned child" Saki (Hanae Kan) explores not just physical abandonment, but emotional: her parents not having a clue as to what is going on in her life, taking up enjo kosai, singing karaoke with paying men. In the Tokyo of "Nobody Knows", adults do not know, or choose to ignore, these children. While some adults may raise the question to Akira of contacting the authorities, he quickly shoots them down as to the mess it will create once they get involved. With the real case seeing all four children not registered as living humans, here Kore-eda highlights the ease with which people can slip through the authorities' net; easily lost and uncared for. This lack of legality perhaps explains the mother's abandonment, almost believing herself that the children did not exist.

The children's reaction is simply to carry on. They know no better themselves, the situation becoming the norm, living in ignorance, sticking to the strict and strange rules forced upon them. Telling anyone is simply not allowed. Kyoko still clings to her mother's clothes in the hope she'll one day return, despite the obvious cruelty. It followed that in the actual case the eldest was initially blamed for the death, natural that he would deflect his mother's cruelty and neglect on his younger siblings, resulting in death. If anything, the mother had at least trained her children well.

Kore-eda stated he was intrigued by the eldest son and why he chose to stick with his younger siblings, despite being at an age where all boys want to do is play with friends. "Nobody Knows" is his "embrace" of the boy as to the conflict and struggle that he went through at such a young age. Initially blamed for the incident as a fourteen year-old boy, he felt responsible, despite being someone abandoned himself by both of his parents, yet choosing to remain responsible himself.

The fictional Akira wants to be a typical twelve year-old boy, leaving his responsibilities, making friends and playing baseball. But, in sticking to his responsibilities and ingrained rules, he refuses to steal when pressured to by his friends, losing them in the process, now just a poor boy from a poor family. He refuses to go against his mother's rules, despite her breaking every rule herself.

In reality, this allowing others into their lives saw the start of the ending for the four siblings. Shown here with Akira's friends pushing Shigeru away as a nuisance when they come round to play computer games; the two sisters only able to sit and stare at them. The demise culminating in the death of the youngest, the boy regularly visited the make-shift grave he made for her; a clear sense of guilt and responsibility - his ignorance at the reality of it all.

Kore-eda said with "Nobody Knows" he wanted to paint a vision of Tokyo from the children's limited view. The film ends with the surviving children carrying on, walking into the future, accepting of their fate. Whether it's the children at the centre of the event, or the adults on the periphery choosing to ignore them, when dealing with society's underclass, nobody knows the reality of what is going on.

I was completing my MA in Sociology and Social Research when first watching the film.