Review by
Benjamin Poole
Directed by: Amanda Nell Eu
Starring: Zafreen Zairizal, Deena Ezral, Piqa, Shaheizy Sam, June Lojong, Khairunazwan Rodz
An intriguing aspect of the so called "trans debate" (I mean, I say
"debate," but you know that what I really mean is "a minority of vocal
people exercising trumped up, knee jerk opinions about a complex subject
of which they have little to no understanding") is the suggestion that in
certain instances girls wish to transition to boys in order to sidestep
all the attendant misery which accompanies the gender that they were born
into. Being a cis-male who is fortunately comfortable with myself I
realise that I am in no position to comment but the proposition does make
sense: being a girl means being judged every day of your life in ways that
boys simply are not. Google "girls school uniform controversy" for a
prosaic, pernicious example of this double standard; witness how girls are
excluded from activities or interests that are traditionally male-oriented
and not "ladylike"; say the word "gentleman-like" out loud for the first
time ever in a stark contrast to the routine chastiser "ladylike". And
these societal expectations arrive before the waves of objectification and
intrusive maltreatment yet to come from men and boys (not to diminish the
experiences of the participants, but after the broadcast of the first
Kevin Spacey doc, women I spoke to about the show were blasé, reasoning
that male to female equivalents of what Spacey is alleged to have done
wouldn't make it to telly because they are just so commonplace).
In Amanda Nell Eu's (with writing credits shared with
Samm Haillay) startling and original-feeling debut,
Tiger Stripes, a 12-year-old girl at the onset of puberty beings to experience a vivid
and unique transition, one which physically changes her into the wild cat
of the title. Zaffan (Zafreen Zairizal - amazing by any standard)
is a typical girl with a group of hot/cold blowing friends and a love of
dancing and pop music. And, as a typical girl, she also experiences the
quotidian cautions of being an adolescent female: "only sluts" wear the
bra which Zaffan is newly struggling with; her actual mother beats her in
front of the neighbours for wearing the wrong clothes; and in a all-girl
school, her classmates are told ‘"most of you will amount to nothing with
that sort of attitude" (ie, spirit).
In a moment of causal imagery distinctive to Tiger Stripes' fable-like tale, browbeaten Zaffan is bollocked for missing prayers
when she gets her period just before the service. The correlation of
menarche with devastating and unwelcome supernatural power is by now a
trope (Carrie, Verónica), but with its bold storytelling and bright as a
picture book imagery Tiger Stripes makes the parable fresh
and urgent, placing the narrative within a superstitious Malaysian society
where demons and strange creatures are an established aspect of the
culture.
A lot of Tiger Stripes' impact is due to Zairizal's astonishing performance. With her big, open
face she effectively essays frustration, pain and, eventually, a sense of
joy as she undergoes the gradual transformation. The animal nature
initially presents in Zaffan growling and baring her teeth with the
display crucially manifesting in reaction to her given circumstances. Her
friends are nonplussed, bullies make "kitty noises" to tease her, and the
society is terrified, eventually sourcing an exorcist to remedy the
situation. As things reach a head, it might have been better calling a
vet, or, even better, someone who would help and support Zaffan. No dice:
as ever, girls should and must conform to the patriarchal hegemony.
The film suggests a rebellious streak within Zaffan (the bar of which is
always so low for girls due to the high expectations placed upon them) by
juxtaposing her with her meeker friends, one of whom is a school prefect
no less. Zaffan scribbles explicitly sexual stickmen diagrams in the
margins of her schoolbook and films herself dancing for TikTok: she is
curious about the world and her place in it. Correspondingly, in moments
of transformation, the film thickens with feline excitement: the
soundtrack pulses and colours seem to become more vivid. After all, who
can tell a tiger what to do? Who would dare put her in a cage? The
supermarket Halloween costumery which constitutes Zaffan's eventual alter
ego is utterly charming too, with Nell Eu making an aesthetic virtue of
necessity. This fun and funny aspect of Tiger Stripes is
characteristic of the film, which, while mired in the cruel experiences of
female adolescence, consistently shows moments of happiness and
excitement. We end with a credits showcase of Zaffan's impressive TikTok
moves, and witness her as a character who is expressing herself, dancing
for herself, and is absolutely delighted in being herself.
Tiger Stripes is on UK/ROI VOD now.
