Ever After…

I have never thought much of the issue of inter-racial marriages until Yasmin Ahmad’s movie ‘Sepet’ came out in 2005. The title ‘Sepet’ refers to slit-like eyes, usually among the Chinese people I was in Form Four then in an all girls’ secondary school. I persuaded my dad into buying the movie considering how both of us love Yasmin Ahmad’s directorship in all the PETRONAS commercials that have been advertised on television. Somehow, I find the commercials’ storyline to be meaningful, touching, and inspiring which highlights the messages they want to tell fellow television viewers. Moreover, the accompanying songs are suitable as well. The movie ‘Sepet’ has a star-studded cast with the likes of…

Ng Choo Seong as Jason@Ah Loong

Sharifah Armani as Orked

Linus Chung as Keong, Jason’s close friend

Harith Iskandar as Orked’s father, Pak Atan

Ida Nerina as Orked’s mother, Mak Inom

Adibah Noor as Kak Yam

Tan Mei Lin as Ma, Jason’s mother

Thor Kar Hoon as Pa, Jason’s father

I would say the movie is about young love with a heartfelt tinge of innocence. The story revolves around the relationship between a Chinese boy, Jason@Ah Loong and a Malay girl, Orked. The actress playing Orked, Sharifah Armani is a close resemblance to Orked in terms of open-mindedness. She dared to point out matters that are disapproved by society such as being close friends with a boy of a different race and religion than her. Unlike others girls her age worrying about boys or clothes, she is a fan of Wong Kar Wai’s movies. She eventually stumbled into Jason, an illegal VCD-seller while looking for movies starring her favourite Japanese actor, Takeshi Kaneshiro.

Love between them began to blossom despite social and racial pressures from both parties including objections from Orked’s father, Pak Atan. He believed that his daughter should not be mixing with Jason because of his background and the area he comes from. On the contrary to Pak Atan’s perception of Jason, he is actually a filial son to his family. He often has to protect his mother from his disabled father’s abuse towards her and is therefore closer to her. She is the one he goes to when pouring out his problems and feelings when his own father fails to understand. Jason is in fact a natural-born poet and loves reading and writing poetry. Despite the frowns of society upon them, there are some lighthearted moments in the movie too…:)

Conversations in a fast-food restaurant…yes indeed, this is truly a typical Malaysian story and somehow it has become quite close to my heart Harith Iskandar and Adibah Noor too assume the role of comedians by giving a comical feel to certain scenes.

However, another conflict emerges as the story progresses. Orked found out that Jason was involved with the gang leader’s younger sister and decided to call their friendship off. Orked refused to talk to Jason or hear his explanation until she managed to score a scholarship to the U.K. (mind you it’s not Ulu Klang..hehe). Her mum was understanding enough to let her call him to say a few last words before she leaves. There is a cliffhanger to this movie. You have to watch it for yourself to find out for I am not telling.

Here is part one of the movie…I like the intro song

In a nutshell, open-mindedness is something that we all have to be while living in a multiracial country like Malaysia. We should learn to accept the differences, learn to love and respect and look beyond the various races and religion . Physically we may look different on the outside, but on the inside we are all the same…humans capable of emotions and making their own stand in this world

~ by arwenfaustina on December 1, 2008.