via osprey_archer, a short film: "Lost World"

[asakiyume]

In this entry, osprey_archer talks about short films she's watched recently, and one of them, "Lost World," by Cambodian American director Kalyanee Mam, captivated me.

It's narrated by a young woman, Vy Phalla [surname comes first here], who lives on the island of Koh Sralau. The way of life there is threatened by sand dredging: sand is dredged in Cambodia and taken to add landmass in Singapore.

Scooping up Cambodia ...



... To create more Singapore




The film's write-up at shortoftheweek.com says, "Kalyanee Mam’s film encompasses vast juxtapositions in a slow-motion lament against environmental degradation, loss, and rapacious capitalism." Yes. It is that, powerfully.

But I was also there for foraging clams at low tide, in among the mangrove spiracles:





And for hopping from prop root to prop root, looking for snails (though the kids did complain about the mosquitos).



Beautiful place to live...



... very different from futuristic Singapore**



At one point Phalla sings a beautiful song about the mangroves. "The beauty of the mangrove forest / rivals the palace gardens" So right.

mangrove seedling



And Phalla goes to see the palace gardens, so to speak: in Singapore she visits an artificially created cloud forest. "Lost World," the exhibit is called. Please do not touch, the signs admonish. "Camelia," Phalla says. "I've only heard the name. Now I see its face."



Back in Cambodia, watching the dredgers, she says, "The law has given us all kinds of freedoms. Here we only have the right to sit, shed tears, and witness the destruction." ... I would like to say something in answer to that, but I think maybe the appropriate thing is to sit, witness, and maybe shed tears.

Thanks for sharing this with me, osprey_archer!

Watch on Vimeo

Lost World from Go Project Films on Vimeo.

**Don't take this entry to be anti-Singapore. You can point out a wrong practice without condemning a country (or person or organization or....) wholesale.

Comments

[sartorias]

Oh, wow, bookmarking for watching. Thanks for the heads up.

[asakiyume]

I think you'll love it, especially--well, all of it, but you'll appreciate Phalla's singing.

[sartorias]

Oh, that was quite poignant. Lovely singing and wistful music.

[asakiyume]

So glad you got a chance to see it!

[sovay]

At one point Phalla sings a beautiful song about the mangroves. "The beauty of the mangrove forest / rivals the palace gardens" So right.

Thank you for this.

[asakiyume]

My pleasure; thanks for sharing in it. Phalla is so eloquent. We only have the translation of what she says, but I'm assuming it's hewing pretty close to what she actually did say, and her turn of phrase and her insight, wow. They're good. Sharp and sensitive, poetic and grounded.

[osprey_archer]

What a gorgeous entry. I think I'm going to add a link to my post so people might come over here and see it - get a taste of the documentary without having to watch it.

I forgot to mention it in my reviewlet, but I *loved* the song Phalla sings. It reminded me - this is a little odd - it reminded me of some Appalachian folksongs I've heard: songs that have been passed down through an oral tradition, meant to be sung without accompaniment. As they grow out of different musical traditions there are probably a lot of differences, too, but they both had a haunting quality for me.

[asakiyume]

I totally agree with you about sounding like Appalachian singing! I hadn't thought of it until you mentioned it, but **yes**, really like that a cappella singing. I think it's the way the melody line goes up and down--I'm thinking of Jean Ritchie's singing. But maybe too it's just the heartfeltness of it.

I really can't thank you enough for calling it to my attention. Such a great film.

[queenoftheskies]

This is amazing.

[asakiyume]

I thought so too.

[amaebi]

Wow, that about sand-dredging Cambodia to make more Singapore is reminiscent of Diana Wynne Jones's Dark Lord of Derkholm in ways that seem very evocative to me....

[asakiyume]

Is there a similar move afoot in that novel? I am still a DWJ uninitiate but one day I'll correct that!

[amaebi]

I can't tell you much about the parallel, being unsure how you feel about spoilers. But it's similar and different, and the Jones adds an interesting light on the Singaporean deed.

[asakiyume]

Very intriguing!

[sonia]

Thanks for the wonderful intro to this video! I loved the song.

I will admit to only watching half of it so far. When they started focusing on the dredging rather than the Cambodian folks living their lives, I noped out. I feel like if they can live it, I should be able to watch it. And yet.

[asakiyume]

I think it's legit to nope out. There are times when being aware of a tragic situation about which you can literally do nothing except be sad is too much. I will say that at the end Phalla is philosophical and has hope--but the situation is what it is, so, yeah.

[st_martin_a]

What a contrast in places!
Looks like an interesting film.

[asakiyume]

The contrast really is something.

It's a great film, and only 16 minutes long.