Intergenerational Ambivalence and Negotiations: Malaysian Chinese Family Dynamics in the Film The Journey

Abstract

The millennium is witnessing the emergence of several key feature films produced by Malaysian producers-directors of Chinese ethnicity. Such Malaysian Chinese films comprise a majority of ethnic Chinese as lead actors, who converse predominantly in the Chinese language and consist of narratives that focus on the experiences of the Chinese community in Malaysia. This article seeks to analyse one such film, “The Journey”, directed by Chiu Keng Guan in 2014. In particular, through the film’s narrative, it aims to explore the extent to which this film visualises the possibilities of intergenerational negotiation and engagement as well as the implied issues of intergenerational and cultural differences. Using a conceptual framework that incorporates selected Confucian virtues, namely filial piety, benevolence and propriety, the discussion highlights the significant moments of intergenerational dialogue and engagements within the domestic context of a family. It concludes that the film provides a significant space to reflect on Malaysian Chinese intergenerational reciprocity through the negotiation of cultural differences between older and younger family members in the form of meaningful dialogue and engagement that lead to the realisation of Confucian ideals of intergenerational harmony intertwined with conjugality.