“To My 19-Year-Old Self” 2022 Hong Kong
Recently, the documentary “To My 19-Year-Old Self,” directed by Zhang Wanting, has caused a huge uproar. The film, which originally received a lot of praise, has been temporarily suspended from public screening amidst controversy. The sudden change in public reaction is due to the strong dissatisfaction expressed by the two female protagonists, Wang Zhuoling (Ah Ling) and She Liwei (Ah She), towards the production team and the school’s handling of student privacy and respect for student wishes. Ah Ling even wrote a lengthy article expressing that she never agreed to have the film publicly screened in any form. As a result, the production team has been accused of disregarding student wishes, exploiting student rights, and has faced a wave of criticism.
Later, the incident escalated, and in addition to revealing that the staff did not follow proper procedures to apply for entry into the Asian Track Cycling Championships in 2016, they also included interview clips of Li Hoi Sze in the film without her authorization, which caused Li Hoi Sze’s dissatisfaction.
As Ah Ling mentioned in her article, a film that takes ten years to shoot and produce has its own value. However, solely based on the meaning of the film itself, it cannot justify the practice of public screening. Just like when she previously asked the school, “Who is more important, the film or the students?” it makes the public think about whether the benefits and honor brought by a film are more important, or protecting the students from harm is more important.
Currently, the film has been halted. Director Zhang stated that if Ah Ling does not agree to the decision to release the film publicly, the film will not be shown. As for the subsequent development of the incident, it is believed that the students involved and relevant individuals all hope that the school and production team can provide a complete and formal response as soon as possible.
“Blonde | Marilyn Monroe” 2022 Netflix
Netflix released a biographical film called “Blonde” last year, directed by Andrew Dominik and starring the sexy actress Marilyn Monroe. The film showcases the highs and lows of this legendary actress’s life. It is based on a fictionalized biography written by Joyce Carol Oates in 2000. The novel is inspired by Monroe’s real life, but some plot elements are written for dramatic effect. However, the film presents these plot elements as real footage and positions itself as a biographical film, leading to criticism from some film critics who question its potential to mislead viewers.
Although many movies, TV shows, and books focus on Marilyn Monroe’s life story, this film in particular has been criticized for portraying her life through narrow and demeaning lenses towards women. The work primarily focuses on the traumas Marilyn Monroe experienced throughout her life, while neglecting other aspects of her life, including her personality and inner life, her intelligence and resilience, her interest and knowledge in politics, her achievements as an actress, and the true depth of her professional ambitions.
The movie depicts some scenes that describe her experiences of being violated and having two miscarriages, and the way the movie is filmed and presented is equally disturbing. This makes many people feel that Marilyn Monroe is not valued and feel heartbroken, and they wonder why even though she has been gone for many years, the harm she suffered is still being exploited. Is it possible that the entertainment value of the movie outweighs everything else, to the point where a biographical film does not bear the moral responsibility of respecting the original story?
“House of Gucci | Gucci: The Murder Plot in a Noble Family”
The film “House of Gucci,” starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, and others, premiered in North America at the end of 2021. The story revolves around the Gucci family, one of the giants in the fashion industry, and their complex internal struggles from the 1970s to the mid-1990s. Even before its official release, the film has generated a lot of discussion. In addition to the popularity of the cast, people are very interested in the “unveiling of the dark history” of this fashion dynasty.
The film tells the story of the love, betrayal, and murder between Gucci’s third-generation heir Maurizio Gucci and his wife Patrizia Reggiani. Gaga was even nominated for an Oscar for her role in this film. In reality, the woman known as the “Black Widow” committed the murder of her husband in an attempt to inherit all of his wealth, and was ultimately sentenced to 26 years in prison. While audiences may find this dark history intriguing, the Gucci family has publicly stated that the film portrays all members of the family in a negative light, depicting them as arrogant, selfish, and insane.
On the contrary, the film portrays Patrizia Reggiani as a victim oppressed by male power, rationalizing her crimes and damaging the family’s image. The Gucci family also claims that the film crew never contacted or informed the heirs about the direction of the film, criticizing the director for deliberately fabricating many false contents for box office purposes, which is the biggest insult to the brand.
“Green Book | Travel Companion” 2018 United States
If a film can win the highest honor in the film industry, the Academy Award, does that mean it is definitely a highly acclaimed film? Not necessarily. In 2019, the Oscar-winning film “Green Book” received a lot of criticism from netizens, and it also sparked dissatisfaction among other filmmakers. Director and producer Spike Lee even left the venue in anger upon hearing the result, refusing to congratulate.
The film is based on the cross-racial friendship between Don Shirley, a Jamaican-American pianist (played by Mahershala Ali), and Tony Lip, a white American bodyguard (played by Viggo Mortensen). In the racially discriminatory atmosphere of 1960s America, Shirley hires Tony, who is in desperate need of work, as his driver to accompany him on a tour of conservative areas in the deep South. Although Tony initially harbors negative feelings towards his “employer” with dark skin, their constant interaction gradually changes his perception and he repeatedly stands up for Shirley, helping to resolve crises.
However, Shirley’s family openly criticized the film for its inaccurate portrayal, including the director depicting her as having a strained relationship with her family and the film portraying her as having a missing brother, when in fact, she has always maintained contact with her brother. The film adapted a real person’s story without verifying with the actual family members, which has caused great anger among her family.
In addition, some netizens are even more disgusted with this typical “white savior” narrative technique, believing that while the story superficially highlights the precious friendship during the era of racial segregation, it still cannot escape the concept of white superiority in its thinking. Therefore, Tony in the film always plays the role of the giver and helper. When the film won the Best Picture at the Oscars in a surprising manner, some people were happy while others were dissatisfied. I wonder what your thoughts are on the meaning of the work?
