Film Studies II - Sepet
Sepet is about a tale that a Chinese boy, Jason aka Ah Loong fall in love with a Malay girl, Orked when she and her friend arrive at the CD stall which in charge by Jason to find her favourite actor Takeshi Kaneshiro's film. Both of them fall in love at first sight and started to hang out together after that day. Even though they having different culture and religious background, their relationship get supported by both their parents and friends. But at the end Orked decided to leave Jason and went for oversea study as she she fount out Jason cheat on her.
At the beginning of this film, the protagonist, Jason was explaining the translated Indian poem to his mother in Cantonese while his mother reply him in Malay. Orked who is a Malay also watches Japanese film which act by her favourite actor, Takeshi Kaneshiro. This shows the character in the film are multiculturalism.
Jason explaining the translated Indian poem to his mother
In my opinion, Yasmin Ahmad has uses mise en scene to film Sepet, she uses two dolls dancing at first to metaphor it as Jason and Orked, after they have interaction at the CD stall, the two dolls dance together as metaphor that they have fall in love with each other.
Yasmin Ahmad also uses wide angle shot to shows the beauty of Ipoh where Jason and Orked started to dating together.
Jason and Orked dating at the lake
She also shows how they fall in love at first sight like some couple did, having silly but funny moment while the dating that made audience could feel the resonance to the character.
Jason and Orked fall in love in first sight
Orked and Jason having same poses when dating
Orked and Jason take shelter from rain at the bus stop
Unlike other romantic film, Jason willing show his soft part to Orked while other romantic film male protagonists did not wanted their girlfriend to see their weakest part. This scene give character more lively and more real as a true human instead of portray man are invulnerable.
Orked comforting Jason
Yasmin Ahmad has portrayed Orked as a open minded female in this film. As example, Orked did not same like her friend, she point out her friends boyfriend are rude and not match her friends type while her ask asks her to stay silence about it.
The film also uncover the unfair education system in Malaysia. The servitor of Orked's family,Kak Yam once discussed that Orked only get 3A's in her result while Jason get 7A's, but Orked get the scholarship and have opportunity to further study at oversea. In contrast, Jason have to get a job to feed his family.
Yasmin Ahmad also shows the common stereotype happening in Malaysia, which most gangster only were only known as having group fights, hangout at the pub at night and no manners. Jason as a member among the gangster, but he loves to talk to his mother, write poems and does not like to fight with others. Another part is when Orked hangout with Jason and Ah Keong, Ah Keong mentioned that he's a gangster but he know how to play piano like Jason could write poems, this has made Orked tell him that all Malay is lazy is also a stereotype among other races, while in reality Malay are hardworking like other races do. This part shows that all people is human, just the attitude matters.
Orked hanging out with Jason and Ah Keong
In conclusion, Sepet is a film that consist of multi ethnic and culture in Malaysia. The film also concern the social issue that facing by different race and how they overcome with it.
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