The Story of TARCians (2024) Review: Mark Lee Blends Nostalgia in a Briskly Paced Docufiction Film
At one point, a character clamoured that “Education should not be politicized” in The Story of TARCians, reportedly billed as Malaysia’s first full-fledged university-produced film. That scene in question takes place at the time of the bleak 13 May incident in 1969, the same year when Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) College was established a little over two months earlier. Director Mark Lee (See Teck) made a conscious choice not to delve deeper into the controversial subject matter other than acknowledging the infamous racial riots as part of Malaysian history during that period.
Instead, The Story of TARCians, which blends documentary and fictional storytelling, focuses more on the journey of several young Malaysians longing for an opportunity to pursue higher education. This includes May Li (Alyssa Lee), Ah Yuan (Ernest Chong), Zali (Ali Arami) and Rama (E. Ramanamohan) as we see each of them facing their own predicaments.
For instance, Zali’s conservative father insists his son must continue his studies in a technical school, despite the latter’s preferred ambition in fulfilling his dream to enter college. Then, there’s May Li and Ah Yuan’s otherwise highly academic best friend, Pui San (Kiwi Chong), who has no choice but to succumb to her father’s pressure in an arranged marriage rather than granting her freedom to continue her studies.
Their journey is intercut periodically with footage of different interviewees recounting their real-life experiences back in the day and how TAR College was first initiated by Tun Tan Siew Sin, the president of MCA during the party’s 18th Annual General Meeting. The interspersing scenes between the interview footage and the fictional narrative are thankfully evenly-timed without disrupting the flow of its storytelling.
Throughout the movie, we also learn the sole purpose of its establishment was to target not only the Chinese but also every Malaysian no matter their race and background an equal chance to pursue tertiary education. The subsequent announcement of TAR College opened the doors for aspiring students like May Li, Ah Yuan, Zali and Rama, where they successfully received acceptance letters.
Like (most) illustrious histories, TAR College had its humble beginnings conducting the class session in the afternoon by borrowing premises in government schools with May Li and others being the first batch of 300+ students at the time. Lee, who is no stranger to directing feature documentaries including At Rainbow’s End and At Rainbow’s End 2 and venturing into different narrative-film genres from Prime Video drama Eraser to this year’s horror-thriller Lubuk, uses the tried-and-tested narrative in depicting these less-privileged students overcoming their struggles and setbacks to realise their dreams in entering college.
Not to mention incorporating resonant themes of perseverance, friendship and racial unity wrapped in a feel-good factor. The story — credited to Anwardi Jamil (who also showed up in a cameo appearance as the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman), Tang Yen Yen and Mark Lee — may have tread familiar ground with all the expected clichés, which at times feels like it belongs to made-for-streaming feature rather than a theatrical release.
Still, The Story of TARCians benefits from a brisk pace at just under 80-minute length even with the histrionics and a less-effective subplot of Ah Yuan’s jealousy over May Li and Zali’s increasingly close relationship. The acting is a mixed bag but the principal actors played by Alyssa Lee, Ali Arami and Ernest Chong deserve credit for giving overall above-average performances in their respective roles as May Li, Zali and Ah Yuan. On the technical front, Lee along with cinematographer Louis Hing Kok Leong did a good job capturing the look and feel of yesteryear with its sepia-tinged visuals evoking a warm, old-school nostalgia.
