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NAFF 2010 | KJ: Life and Music | Opening Film
By Justin Ko
KJ: Life and Music
Hong Kong, 2008, 93 min
DIR: Cheung King Wai
There is a memorable scene in the Hong Kong documentary KJ: Life and Music, produced by CNEX Foundation and directed by Cheung King Wai, where KJ (Ka Jeng) Wong, a budding child pianist, is assisted on the keyboard by his teacher and mentor Ms. Loo. Hovering just above the tiny prodigy, Ms. Loo guides KJ's arms with her own, as if she were pulling the strings of a puppet.
The teenage KJ struggles to do the same, attempting to imbue "human being" into his music beyond technical proficiency. Every depiction of young KJ's incredible skill encapulates his entire life - with a fixation on expressing his humanity through music. The film, which spans six years, alternates between footage of KJ as a child pianist, and as a teenage chamber ensemble instructor, with candid interviews scattered in between. Cheung-King Wai, who saw a bit of himself in KJ, does a marvelous and insightful job of tracing KJ's development from a headstrong and ambitious prodigy to a conflicted and self-doubting leader of musicians.
KJ's obsessive attitude and complete dedication towards his craft isolates KJ from his peers, but simultaneously garners their admiration and wonder, and ultimately, their respect. Indeed, it is made clear through KJ's own admission and the observations of his peers that the pursuit of musical perfection has superseded all other concerns. This revelation, of the all-consuming and potentially self destructive nature of perfectionism, can be particularly resonant for anyone who has ever performed a musical instrument or played a competitive sport.
As KJ matures, he articulates a personal philosophy regarding music and its relationship to "the sense of human being", noting that while he may be perceived as being too harsh on himself and others, he is still a champion of the "human being" as opposed to a mere competitive spirit. It is these honest moments of self-reflection that elevate KJ as a character and KJ: Life and Music as a film.
Screening: Opening Film. Thursday May 27, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, May 30th, 11:15 a.m.
Schema Magazine's coverage of NAFF 2010 is sponsored by the Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival"
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May 27, 2010 at 12:45 AM
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