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文︰黃勺嫚,影像無國界導師 | Text: Wong Cheuk-man, Teaching Artist of All About Us
英譯︰黃澄楓 | English Translation: Janice Wong
Jackey Hang Limbu是尼泊爾人,現年二十歲,皮膚黝黑,帶眼鏡,小眼睛,老說自己長得像中國人。他是訓練營我組中年齡最大的學生,比較老成持重,習慣每天早上六時起床,沖個冷水澡,喝杯黑咖啡,最喜歡塔倫天奴的電影,尤其鍾愛他的對白。記得Jackey在拍攝時,表現成熟冷靜,總是不斷提意見,但也很願意聆聽大家的意見。作為導師,我可以放心讓他做導演、攝影師,穩定軍心。只不過他隨時會喊肚餓疲倦,想吃東西,讓人捉摸不定,忍俊不禁。
Jackey在香港出生,因家庭關係,出生四年後又離開了一段時間,輾轉留在香港生活共十年。在港他除了是少數族裔,更是一個過客、異鄉人,不知該在哪裡紮根。父母不在身邊,在香港跟隨親戚不斷搬家,住過灣仔、佐敦和旺角。他說住在九龍區的環境最差,樓宇殘舊,治安惡劣,滿街醉客,還被霓虹燈照得睡不著。他雖然了解在香港居住的壞處,例如租金昂貴,人口過多,空氣質素差;但他還是喜歡香港多姿多彩的生活,在這裡他能認識不同種族的朋友。而且,香港也有迷人的自然景觀,他曾在西貢划獨木舟,發現香港的好山好水。
不過,他認為在香港生活,語言是一個很大的障礙。他說中文沒有字母,沒有一個聲調接近他的母語,要掌握廣東話非常困難。但不懂得廣東話,他根本無法融入香港的生活,例如在雜貨店購物,在餐廳吃飯,他想跟店員多聊幾句也貧乏,語言的問題令他非常困擾。長遠而言,他說留在香港也看不到未來。他想假如要在香港拍電影,也必須懂得中文。他認為自己難以克服語言問題,加上在港升讀大學的機會甚微,所以他預備離開香港,到英國與家人團聚,並計劃在當地修讀電影研究、英國文學的課程。可見,少數族裔的學生會因語言問題,難以在香港發展電影有關方面的興趣。
不過,Jackey對電影的熱情並沒因此而減退。他熱愛電影,除了看電影外,還會上網閱讀研究電影的文章,寫故事,畫漫畫。他喜歡電影,因為電影是一種包含不同感官元素的藝術形式,包括視覺,聽覺,讓觀眾置身夢裡。除了娛樂大眾之外,電影還能改變人的一生。年紀輕輕的他,已對電影有很多想法。記得一次和他坐地鐵回家,他忽然問我怎樣才算是一個好導演。我一直反覆思量,然而他早有答案。他說一個好的導演就是一個好的藝術家,應該不斷挑戰常規,嘗試新的電影語言,向觀眾展示過人的視野。他說假如有機會拍電影的話,他想拍低成本的電影,關於一群陌生人從一開始無法融洽相處,一起經歷了一些事情後,成為彼此的摯友,如親人般相待。我想這電影的主題,遙遙呼應了Jackey在離離合合的生活中最大的體會。

Jackey 與其他營友分享有關拍攝短片的想法與感受 Jackey shared his thought and feeling on film production in the last day of camp
Jackey Hang Limbu is a 20-year-old Nepalese. Brown-skinned, small-eyed and wearing specs, Jackey often joked he looked quite Chinese. He was the eldest in my group, and his maturity shows. Every morning, he would be up at six, take a cold shower then enjoy a cup of black coffee – just like clockwork. Tarantino is his favourite director, whose captivating lines impressed many. When filming, Jackey was calm, collected and eager to exchange thoughts with others. As his Teaching Artist, I trusted his directing and filming decisions, more so his talent to lead – he made people laugh, too, especially when he suddenly asked for a snack or a break.
Born in Hong Kong, Jackey has lived here on and off for ten years, having moved away when he was four for family reasons. Here, he is a minority, a passenger and an outsider with no place to call home. He doesn’t live with his parents. Instead, he moves around the city with his local relatives. He has lived in Wan Chai, Jordan and Mong Kok. The Kowloon district was the worst – the buildings were decrepit, the streets were swamped with crime and drunks, not to mention the bright neon lights that kept him up at night. Hong Kong has its shortcomings – overpriced, over-populated and over-polluted, just to name a few – but none of them matters. Jackey loves Hong Kong for its vibrant, multi-cultural life and the chance to make friends of many ethnicities. The natural scenery is beautiful too – he discovered when kayaking in Sai Kung.
However, language proved to be an issue. Living in Hong Kong, he wanted to learn Cantonese but it was hard. There is no alphabet in Chinese, and the tones sounds nothing like his mother tongue. Not speaking the language means he can’t blend in. He can’t chat freely when he is at grocery stores or restaurants. The language barrier is a big concern of his, and he admitted he couldn’t foresee a future in Hong Kong. If he wanted to make films here, he believed, he must know the language. Yet, it isn’t an obstacle he can easily overcome. The chance of admission to a local university is slim too. This is why Jackey plans to leave and reunite with his family in England, where he will study films and British literature. He decision sheds light on a big issue hindering the local film industry – the language barrier deters minorities from pursuing a film-related career here.
Nonetheless, his passion for films never faded. He loves watching films and actively seeks out research online to broaden his mind. He writes stories and makes comics. He loves films for the various sensory elements contained in one single art form, and how video and audio combines to create immersive cinematic experiences. Films don’t only entertain – they change people. Jackey is young but he understands that, and he has his own ideas already. Once, we were heading home on the MTR. He asked me what made a good director. When I was still contemplating my answer, he shared his: a good director is a good artist who constantly challenges the norm, explores new storytelling methods and exhibits exceptional vision. He then told me had he the chance, he would make a low-budget film about a group of strangers of conflicting backgrounds who bonded over hardship and grew close like family. When I think about it, his idea surely echoes his life – one full of separation and reunion.