電影筆記 / 阿諾是個模範生 Arnold is a Model Student
阿諾是個模範生 Arnold is a Model Student
Sorayos Prapapan｜2022｜泰國 Thailand ｜85mins
談選擇，關注阿諾個人與周遭他人之所以彼此都沒有選擇的脈絡，以及彼此面對權力遊戲態度上的悠遊與差異，比起非常以非常個人的視角批判早已不再是新聞的泰國獨裁政府，導演更專注於建構一個封閉卻從容的社會，看見個人是怎麼在群體之間最後選擇背向國家，沒有退路，儘管在離開的那一刻都與國家緊繫在一起，他仍找不到留下來的理由。直白的陳述又更比戲劇性的嘲諷讓人感到無力，從影片中看見導演將與觀眾溝通的企圖置於一切之上，他在説教式的故事編排上無意說教，更多時候呈現放棄，因為當我們看清楚阿諾模範的地方，也才意識到逃避不可恥也有用，他已經失去了進入集體進入公共的意圖與慾望，最後作為模範的個體，他選擇保全的是在自己可見的選擇上延續自己的意志，且已無關乎他人。
It’s a simple, direct, plain yet sad film. My friend called it emotional which drag me into a pre-imagine of how this film may resonate to the people who had been though the exact same physical and mental experience in Thailand, perhaps even in the East and South east Asia.
The film portraits a model student Arnold, who is a half-Thai half-French student, won the Olympics for the school and become the role model in teachers eyes.
My first thought to the film is realizing how different it is to the artist Chulayarnnon‘s works. Though both of them have some similarities when it comes to the modern art form, film languages, some popular aesthetic and the rhythm of editing, there is a huge gap of narratives that some how makes this film unique to me.
In the film, there are two world views flowing in the one world system. The system is under the need to elaborate since it is deeply connected the Thainess to the modern Thai society. We soon catch that the director has no intention to talk about how Thai embraces its identity of being a country with its core religion, monarchy and patriotism. All he wanna focus is more about the choices.
This is nothing new to talk about the reality which you need to face 24/7. Sorayo uses his own footages on the protest sites and retell the story with a much personal color in a really simple, direct, plain and clean and emotional way.
It is a strong portrait of the film. Perhaps, it is a bit too flat on how he conducts the characters, but efficiently he tells a story in his own independent way and cut off all the extravaganza bullshit, using his own film language to tell his own understanding of reality.
I remember, last time when I visit my Thai friend in Germany, she told me that for me staying in Taiwan is so far still an option but for her there is only leave when you chase choice.
Arnold is a model student and yet no matter how extraordinary he is to honor his own country, the country means the opposite to him. It is not he decide to abandon his country and turn his back on the identity, but the dictators shape these foreign faces with their suppression under the whole global mobility experience in the 21 century.
For me, Director yoshi uses his narration to construct the struggle and acceptance of Arnold being foreign to his own identity and then toss it at the end even though there are still some tender parts he missed but his leave is still optionless.
What makes people have no option? You can see how people arrange the protest, showing their agency in their everyday life practices and no only minding their own business but showing their cares to other people in the collective. But the film emphasizes how powerless it is which the best way to survive or feel comfort is to leave.
Arnold is a unique student yet not that special. For him as a mixed Thai who has aboard experience marked up the group of people in capital that they carried the idea of being foreign yet still framed themselves temporarily to the society. They have choices, therefore they can leave whenever they want and even their cultural capital set them free to aim for better life in this global system. What is better? We don’t know yet but what we know is you can be free from authority and expand your visions to see more. However, most of the rest have no choice to approach any of these because there is just no guarantee of what benefit being a good citizen is.
It is not about we surely believe when you behave well as a good citizen the country will reward you. The hardest part is no matter how you try to play within the rule to be a good citizen, you still struggle with your financial conditions and there is no social welfare to catch you as a net. In the few moments, the film is close to the edge of lecturing what is the right way to criticize this country but it pulled back by refocusing on how Arnold sees everything.
其他參考閱讀：
留言
張貼留言