最近、ビリギャルという映画が公開されていることを生徒から知りました。（英語名はフライングカラーズ。）Recently, I have learned about a newly-released movie titled Biri Gal, or Flying Colors in cinema, from my students. タイトルとはうらはらで感動ものとの話。They say that , despite its title, it’s a feel-good movie.
クラスで下位の成績だった高校生がさまざまな変遷を経て最難関の大学合格をはたすまでを描いています。
It describes a high school girl named Sayaka who was always at the bottom of her class then embarks on a journey of transformation and eventually makes it; successfully passing the most difficult entrance exam for any university in the country.
こりゃあ自分も見ないといかんな、と思って昨晩見てきました。
My own students talk about the film so hard that I felt I had to see it myself. So I did last night.
映画の中では私がかつて経験した数々の場面がありました。いやおそらく誰でも一度は経験していることでしょう。例えば親子ゲンカ、先生とのいさかい、兄弟げんか、そして挫折。こういった困難が主人公さやかを苦しめ、絶望へと追い込まれてゆきます。
In the film,there were many scenes that I sadly experienced myself, or should I say , everyone must have experienced at least once – such as arguing with parents, teachers, sibling fighting. With all these challenges going around her, Sayaka finds herself forced into a hopeless situation.
あとは見てのお楽しみ、続きが知りたい人はどうぞ映画館へ。
For the rest of the story, please go to the theater.
遠い昔、私も慶応を受験したことを思い出しました。まるで昨日のことのように覚えています。 大勢の受験生が会場に押し寄せて警察が交通整理する有様。
All these reminded me of how it was during my time when I went to Keio University and took the very same entrance exam. I can still remember it as if it was yesterdayDroves of aspiring students came, requiring policemen to direct human traffic and keep order – only because of the sheer number of examinees present.
おまけに私の前の席にすわったのは灘高の生徒でした。日本一優秀な高校です。もうすっかり飲まれてしまい、負け戦に終わりました。一生懸命勉強したのになあ・・・・
When I arrived at my seat, in front of me was a boy from Nada High School – considered to be the top senior high school in Japan – also taking the test. With all the hard preparations in studying, the hassles of just making it inside the building with all the other students, up to being with the same room as a person belonging to the best senior high school, it really dampened my spirits; making me feel the sense of failure and chagrin immediately.