be with me, my beloved.

From Eric Khoo, Be With Me is the opening film for the Director's Fortnight at this year's Cannes.

It is based on the biography of Theresa Chan, whom at the age of 14, lost both her sight and hearing. Yet she continue to live life more than anyone else, receiving a scholarship to study in the States and even had a relationship with her dance instructor. She lost him to nose cancer one Christmas morning. Interwoven to her story are three fictional vignettes on love, loss, longing and loneliness.

The film has little dialogue, which I feel is a metaphor for communication, and the lack of it. The minimalist effect is powerful though. For example, the story about a tragic lesbian crush between Sam (played by the very typical IJ-looking Samantha Tan.) and Jackie (played by SRJC alumna Ezann Lee.) had them communicating via text messages and the internet. Yet sadly, their real emotions are hardly conveyed to each other.



It also represents Chan's silent world. Her story is told through the subtitles, while she goes on doing her daily chores. She has an awkward pronounciation (which, amongst others, was very funny to the Fillipino domestic workers sitting next to me.) and her touch- her touch, is a simple, tender representation of love. She communicates, despite her handicaps.

Another story tells of a provision shopkeeper and his struggles with loss and loneliness. There is also a distance between him (played by Chiew Sung Ching, Eric Khoo's English tutor.) and his son, a social worker who helped Theresa translate her biography into Mandarin and visits her 3 times a week. Soon, the father began to cook for her. This is his representation of love.

The third story of unrequited love is told of a fat security guard (played by Seet Keng Yew) and his lust for a high flying Shenton Way executive (played by Lynn Poh.)He is the representation of a social outcast who cannot have what he wants and substitute affection with gluttony. Both his constant eating and Chiew's cooking can make you hungry.



Believe me, you will probably get lost like I did in the beginning of the film, what with the lack of dialogue, the interwoving of the different stories and the very art-housey feel to the ambience. But follow as the title suggests, and be patient. You will be duly rewarded. I actually felt heavy towards the end of the film and the taps were ready to flow. F.Y.I, this does not come often. That particular scene was a simple gesture of love. Yet powerful enough to evoke such an emotion in me. Love is a very simple thing. It only complicates if you want it to. This film requires you to read from the screen, as Khoo intended. And in the meantime, think. It is by far, the best local feature to hit the screen.

Forget that maid movie. It doesn't even come close.