A YELLOW BIRD

Singapore, 2016, 112 minutes, Colour.
Sivakumar Palakrishnan, Lu Huang, Seema Biswas.
Directed by K Rajagopal


This Is a film from Singapore, with a special focus on Singaporeans of Indian descent and of Chinese in the city.

The central character has been in prison, embittered, getting out and trying to find his wife and daughter. He is erratic, prone to violence. He belongs to a group of workers who are hired for particular ceremonies and processions throughout the city, those processions with the highly coloured dragon characters. He encounters a Chinese woman who is trying to get money to send to her children.

This is the underbelly of Singapore, those on the margins. There is a particular margin on the outskirts of the city, a countryside brothel where the woman goes to work and the man acts as a kind of guard, collecting money from the many eager clients.

This does not work out well for either of them which draws in audience sympathy, especially when there seems very little hope for the future.

1. A Singaporean drama? Slice of life? Slice of poverty life, exploitation life?

2. The title, the image of the bird, bird images in the film?

3. The settings, the images of Singapore, the outskirts, the underbelly? The city, streets, shops, poor accommodation, the water, the countryside, the makeshift country brothel? The musical score?

4. Siva’s story, the Indian background, Singapore citizen, his experiences in jail, his release, angry attitudes, checking with authorities, trying to find his wife, his love for his daughter? Her disappearance? Visiting the official officers, including his temper? The secretary, her being attracted to him, yet not able to give him the information?

5. Siva, his age, making old connections, memories of his criminal time, wanting to work?

6. The work, the glamour of the processions and costumes, funeral rituals, the team of workers, interactions amongst themselves? Payment, their being continually called up?

7. The Chinese woman, part of the group, her demanding more money, the bosses and their violent and demeaning treatment of her, her story, her children, prostitution?

8. The two encountering each other, Siva and his help?

9. The woman, going outside the city, the brothel, the other woman, the manager, Siva getting a job, checking the clients, getting the money? The wide range of clients and their continued coming? The effect?

10. Siva and the woman getting to know each other better, talking, the story and the pathos? The clash with the other prostitute? Her money being stolen?

11. Siva, getting information about his wife, the visit, the clash, the glimpses of his daughter, the wife and her condemnation of him?

12. The woman, her treatment, in the water?

13. Siva, his experiences, what future?