The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

Posted: 10 Jun 2011 05:26 PM PDT

IF YOU liked David Fincher's The Social Network, a movie about Facebook, then you might like Khairil M. Bahar's (Ciplak, 15Malaysia) upcoming Relationship Status, an indie flick that could have only been written in the 21st century.

Scheduled for a year-end release, Relationship Status tells the stories (some fictional but mostly true) of KL-ites whose relationships are created, changed and sometimes even ruined by social networking and the way we communicate today.

Khairil, 31, got the idea for the movie when he realised most of his relationships were tied to Facebook, either playing a part in getting to know the person better or resulting in the break-up. He thinks people pay a lot of importance to the relationship status because the nature of Facebook feels a lot like the real world, unlike social networking sites.

"There's always that opportunity to represent yourself as something you may not be.

You could pass yourself off as single — and that's a scary thought for anyone in a relationship," he says.

Khairil has kept his relationship status blank regardless of whether he is seeing someone or not. He feels that there is no "one rule" on whether you should or shouldn't display your relationship status. It all depends on the couple.

"Fifteen years ago, this wouldn't even be an issue. It used to be 'How long should I wait till I call her?' Now it's 'Who should change their status first? How long should I wait? Should we talk about it?' "

What I do disagree with is forcing someone to display their relationship status. To me, it's a personal thing.

"I don't display my status because I don't think it should make a difference to your life or relationship or how anyone else perceives you. I don't like the idea of adding more weight and importance to something which is, in its essence, incredibly trivial – it is a website, after all. Don't give it anymore power than it already has," he adds.

Khairil is confident that the public will relate to his movie as he often gets replies such as "OK, that's a bit close to home" or "I actually know someone this happened to" when he discusses his script with his cast and crew.

The trailer is quite intriguing. It opens with a forlorn-looking guy staring at his phone before deciding to call Anna, the girl he fancies.

Anna sees his picture appearing on her phone and rejects his call. Troubled, he turns to his computer to check her Facebook page which shows her status as "single".

Inspiration hits him and he begins to type out his thoughts on the computer: "When historians of the future look back at the 21st century, there's no doubt in my mind that social networking will be one of the 'great inventions' that they will claim changed the landscape of civilisation."

The character cites examples of how social networking changed the concept of marketing and advertising, how it has won elections and even overthrown governments.

"The act of sharing information on social networks has changed the way we communicate with each other. And by doing so, it has changed the way we form relationships with one another as well as how we react when those relationships dissolve.

"Take the relationship status on Facebook, for example. We can tell the entire world whether we are single, in a relationship, married, divorced or whatever we want. We can even tell the world that it's complicated. But here's my question. Aren't all relationships complicated?"

If that teaser doesn't want to make you see the movie, I don't know what will.

o For more information about the movie and to watch the trailer, visit www.relationshipstatusmovie.tumblr.com or follow Twitter updates @RStatusUpdates.

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Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Sabtu, 11 Jun 2011

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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