第三世界當代思想系列演講V：Ashish Rajadhyaksha

Contemporary Third World Thought Lecture Series V：Ashish Rajadhyaksha

The Asian “Committed” Documentary

亞洲「以改革為念」的紀錄片

講者／Speaker：Ashish Rajadhyaksha

時間：2016年5月31日下午2：00-5:00

地點：新竹交通大學人社二館106A教室

Using as case studies the work of two major Asian filmmakers: Singapore’s Tan Pin Pin and India’s Deepa Dhanraj, Mr. Rajadhyaksha examined in this lecture two entwined phenomena in Asia. On the one hand, he observed, the prevalent use of digital technology has (almost) made celluloid obsolete and brought about a liberation in/democratisation of filmmaking. This, coupled with a state rationality that has prioritised progress/modernisation, might sometimes cost the respect for history. On the other hand, however, documentary filmmakers like Tan and Dhanraj endeavour to revive in their works social/cultural memories that point to unresolved social conflicts. The filmmakers’ efforts include recycling historical images preserved on celluloid. This return of the ‘ghost’ of (nearly killed) history in documentaries makes manifest how the present is often precedented. Therefore, revisiting the past may productively breed novel viewpoints on current contradictions. Citing Jane Gaines, Rajadhyaksha then concluded the lecture by answering the question as to why documentary filmmakers keep trying to change the world, or why people who want to change the world keep making documentaries. Their capacity to (by juxtaposing the now and the past) induce reflection on the condition of the present world gives documentaries a hard political edge, Rajadhyaksha maintained. By means of an edge as such, documentaries may move their audiences to ‘act’ in an attempt to change the world they are living in.

以新加坡導演陳彬彬與印度導演Deepa Dhanraj的紀錄片作品為例，Rajadhyaksha先生在這場演講裡析論兩個密切相關的亞洲影像製作潮流。其一，數位科技的普及，排除了賽璐璐底片的必要性，大大解放了影像製作的可能性及可行性，造成影像生產程序的高度民主化。此等製程解放若與一味追求進步的現代化國家理性相援引，可能產造出集體背向歷史的危險。然陳彬彬與Dhanraj的紀錄影像並不跟從這一套拋卻過往、求新求變的極端現代化邏輯。相反地，她們不斷回望既有的社會、文化記憶，甚至將賽璐璐影像帶入數位媒介，有意識地並置現下與過往，以突顯歷史遺留的社會、文化衝突。若此，歷史的鬼魅非但不為現代化意識形態徹底埋葬，反而在紀錄影像裡反覆還魂，孕育檢視現下的新視野。Rajadhyaksha先生以為，此等新視野標示紀錄影像的積極政治意涵。「為什麼紀錄片導演老想改變世界，而企圖改變世界的人，都在拍紀錄片？」Rajadhyaksha引Jane Gaines的理論解釋道：紀錄影像之動人，在使人對現下的生活產出新的體驗/體悟，進而身體力行，化體驗/體悟為改造生活的動力，從而激化了紀錄片所蘊含的獨特政治性。