Written and directed by Ang Geck Geck Priscilla, Singapore, 1994. Ah Girl is a curious 7-year-old girl. Since her parents separated, she lives in a small flat with her younger sister, Ah Tian, her easy-going Pa who works nightshifts, and her irritable Grandmother. They see their needy and unreliable Mum on weekends. One weekend, drunk Mum asks if Ah Girl wants to live with her when she gets a bigger flat. This question disrupts Ah Girl’s sense of the world, and the rest of the film unfolds as she struggles with the decision. She becomes increasingly aware that her family life is far from normal. Starring: Xuan Jing Ong, Sydney Wong, Carrie Wong, James Seah and Doreen Toh.
Attempting to craft cinema which truly captures a child’s viewpoint, not simply an adult’s view of a child’s world is not an easy thing to do, but Ang Geck Geck Priscilla does it very well with Ah Girl. You feel immersed in Ah Girl’s (Xuan Jing Ong) world, you see things through her eyes, and that makes all of its emotions hit even harder. That’s because the story is filled with this pervasive air of sadness. It’s genuinely heartrending to watch Ah Girl exist within this toxic environment with apathetic, broken, lost parents. She’s trapped in the middle of their immaturity and forced to come to terms with things well beyond her handful of years.
Something which then hits even harder when you see the love that Ah Girl has for her family, despite all of the maltreatment. That depth is in no small part thanks to the incredible performance from Xuan Jing Ong. It is genuinely impressive to watch her grapple with all of these issues while holding onto a playful dreamer quality. Xuan Jing Ong instils so much strength, resilience and imagination in the character, as well as an edge of the pragmatic, she tries to find workarounds to the obstacles her parents throw her way. As the title would suggest, it’s absolutely her show and she steals the spotlight, but does lovingly share it with Sydney Wong as Ah Tian. The two of them make truly adorable siblings, and that again makes the emotions hit even harder.
All of which is perfectly complemented by the direction from Ang Geck Geck Priscilla and cinematography from Teck Siang Lim. They hold a light touch and a warmth which crafts Ah Girl’s perspective. There’s a nostalgic grain to the aesthetic, it holds a strong tenderness and easily draws you in. They do so well to create that feel of childhood, how it holds so much hope and potential, and how that can be chipped away at by the selfish, uncaring acts of parents.
Ah Girl is a tender exploration of a childhood marred by egocentric, immature parents. Xuan Jing Ong gives an exceptional leading performance which is enough reason on its own to watch this film, but there are also plenty of other reasons. The terrific cast behind her, the compelling direction, the moving cinematography and it’s quietly shattering tone. It’s an incredibly promising debut feature from Ang Geck Geck Priscilla which demonstrates a high level of consideration and excellent understanding of perspective.
