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First, the Recap:
There is the interconnectedness of life. While we all travel our own roads, is it not feasible to see how circumstance, whether via conditions strained or fair, can bring us together, becoming a shared experience that impacts us in the moment, and possibly for life. Sometimes, however, the coming together takes a little more time to manifest. For a young man named Jie (Yu-Chieh Cheng), the world is a cold, distant, and unfriendly realm in the wake of constant verbal abuse from his own father, co-workers, even his boss, causing him to retreat into a shell of emotional turmoil, with his only escape found in the isolated reality of a popular video game.
Shizuko (Angel Lee) has left behind an undisclosed, tumultuous event years ago that has likewise left her holed up in her room, also finding refuge online through, unbeknownst to her, a correspondent connection that she strives to maintain, perhaps even innocently manipulate, in order to feel some semblance of a life while also following her favorite band ARKO, lifelines in an otherwise relatively lonely existence. Then there is Xian-Xian (Cincin Jao), singer in a popular group who’s now in disarray because of sudden changes she is trying to make to their image and direction while also battling personal strife both inwardly and outwardly thanks to family issues. As they each attempt to discover peace, their roads are inexplicably drawn together, the ramifications of which will shape their collective futures.
Next, my Mind:
While there might have been just a little of the narrative’s total concepts and intentions lost in translation for this reviewer, there is no denying the deeply accessible, potently emotional, and sometimes harsh actualities of seclusion, self-blame, depression, and desperation illustrated in this 25-minute, Chinese language indie short film from writer/director/editor Yi-Feng Chang. Universal notions that sometimes don’t always require directly accurate translations found in the subtitles, it’s a powerful exploration of these ideas as seen through the eyes of three distinctly broken individuals who are all reeling from pains that are both externally evident just as much as they are privately crippling. What makes their ultimate quests for salvation engaging is truly found more in the visual presentation via the actors’ body language and facial expressions which so heartbreakingly paint the tapestry of what their characters respectively face even as incidents and decisions are inexorably coinciding to the point where the connections between them are revealed and subsequently proceed to dictate their paths going forward. They’ve tried to fit in to the society around them, only to be cast aside, the challenges only further compounded by an unnamed accident years ago they were all tied to which became the catalyst for them to choose the means they did to flee its consequences. The cinematography clearly and deftly captures each ones struggles with tangible impact, whether subtle or blatant, as they experience all the aftermaths and implications wrought by being misunderstood and therefore striving to be content with who they are, regardless of what others might try and force upon them, instead trying to make others see them and accept them on their own terms, for good or ill.
Cheng turns in a totally affecting performance in his role as Jie, a haggard, ragged soul who’s reached the end of tolerance with people’s constant badgering and belittling attitudes towards him. Finding the only real chance to elude it by “disappearing” into a videogame environment where he chats with another player who’s actually exploiting their “relationship” to a potentially unhealthy extent, Jie’s building frustrations lead to an equally bad alternative that only lands him in further trouble, despite attempted help from his beleaguered sister. Watching the course of Jie’s life take the directions it does, as mentioned above, is tragic yet strangely fascinating to view, and Cheng just emotes so well in order to make you feel every nuance his character endures.
Lee is actually a little more peppy in general as Shizuko, a girl who appears to have had former levels of success in the medium of dance, but who’s since given it up and retreated into a cocoon of separation from the world, shutting out friends in the process and focusing on the internet as her “ark”. While she does manage to literally get out of the house, similar to Jie, and try to experience certain things, it never quite works out like she most likely planned, though during one particular outing, she ends up in both an awkward encounter with former pals as well as linking up via online messaging with a connection from the past. It’s a character that we at least feel might find some sense of hope in a willingness to face the past that’s shaped her, well enacted throughout by Lee.
Jao joins the emotional roller-coaster ride as Xian-Xian, a talented singer in local band ARKO who’s chosen to push certain changes upon her bandmates, along with committing them to a show associated with it all, that doesn’t fly with the rest of the group since she didn’t discuss it with them. Trying to find her own identity in the process, the conflict with the band along with personal issues she’s dealing with illustrate why she feels like she has no one on her side, no real friends to lean upon in her upset state of being. It makes the moment when an unexpected online conversation happens more subtly poignant, perhaps being proof she might have someone who wants to listen to and support her. Like the other characters, Xian-Xian is pulled apart by inner and outer strife, and Jao embodies this struggle with great poise.
In total, despite having to re-watch the film once to try and better capture the overall narrative and the essence of what was occurring since certain thematic elements are far more veiled and even mildly confusing to perceive at first, “Farewell To The Ark” is still a worthy watch in order to appreciate the humanity and character-driven stories that indie film is so adept at presenting while serving as a rather direct reminder about how we very much need to be better at understanding each other as people so that we might therefore find more opportunity to have less of a chance to fall into separation or disassociation and all the damaging results that can come about because of these.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
