Review: Bingo – The King of the Mornings dir. Daniel Rezende

After reintroducing the terror of Stephen King’s IT to cinemas this year, it’s hard to blame anyone for contracting a case of coulrophobia. But in award winning editor Daniel Rezende’s directorial debut, one clown will perhaps find his way into viewer’s hearts. Based on a true story, Bingo: The King of the Mornings is inspired by the life of Arlindo Barreto, the man who brought Bozo The Clown … Continue reading Review: Bingo – The King of the Mornings dir. Daniel Rezende

Review: Mountains May Depart dir. Jia Zhangke

Jia Zhangke is a legend of 6th generation Chinese filmmakers. Having made a name for himself with naturally shot, gripping social realism films, Mountains May Depart marks a new career high, delivering some of the best work Jia has done in the majority of the film. Mountains May Depart is set in Jia’s hometown of Fenyang, China and spans the course of 26 years, tracking three periods in … Continue reading Review: Mountains May Depart dir. Jia Zhangke

Artist Spotlight: A Meeting with SGIFF Silver Screen Award Nominees Ana Urushadze and Tan Seng Kiat (SGIFF 2017)

  As the 28th Singapore International Film Festival draws to a close, we got a word in with directors Ana Urushadze and Tan Seng Kiat, both competitors for the Best Asian Feature Film at the Silver Screen Awards (won by Iranian Ali Asgari’s Disappearance). Both are first time feature directors, with their films Scary Mother and Shuttle Life respectively screened at this year’s SGIFF, and shared their thoughts on … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: A Meeting with SGIFF Silver Screen Award Nominees Ana Urushadze and Tan Seng Kiat (SGIFF 2017)

Review: Oh Lucy! dir. Atsuko Hirayanagi (SGIFF 2017)

Oh Lucy! is a road trip film with an improbable premise – middle-aged office worker Setsuko (Shinobu Terajima) agrees to her niece Mika’s (Shioli Kutsuna) request to take over her position at an English class, only to fall in love with the charming American English teacher John’s (Josh Hartnett) unconventional methods. But her happiness is short-lived when both Mika and John elope to America in a … Continue reading Review: Oh Lucy! dir. Atsuko Hirayanagi (SGIFF 2017)

Artist Spotlight: An Interview with the Cast and Creatives Behind Oh Lucy!

At the 28th Singapore International Film Festival, we got a chance to speak to the director and cast of the final Special Presentation film of the festival: Oh Lucy! At the In Conversation session hosted by moderator Anita Kapoor, who asked some truly brilliant questions, we were privy to some of director Atsuko Hirayanagi and cast members Shinobu Terajima and Shioli Kutsuna’s most personal thoughts and … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: An Interview with the Cast and Creatives Behind Oh Lucy!

Review: The White Girl dir. Jenny Suen and Christopher Doyle (SGIFF 2017)

There’s a cheesy quote that goes along the lines of ‘to know what someone fears losing, watch what they photograph.’ It’s not always accurate, but in the case of Jenny Suen’s directorial debut (co-directed with cinematographer legend Christopher Doyle), it’s a phrase that echoes throughout the film more than ever. The White Girl is a film about memory. Described as a homecoming for both Suen … Continue reading Review: The White Girl dir. Jenny Suen and Christopher Doyle (SGIFF 2017)

Artist Spotlight: Jenny Suen, Co-Director of The White Girl (SGIFF 2017)

Hong Kong filmmaker Jenny Suen has a strange relationship with her home country. Like many artists, she felt stifled growing up in the congested, business-centric city and wanted out. But upon moving to America for her studies, she felt a sudden pang of homesickness, and when she watched Wong Kar Wai’s In The Mood For Love for the first time, she was suddenly struck with how beautiful … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: Jenny Suen, Co-Director of The White Girl (SGIFF 2017)

SGIFF 2017: Getting to Know the Youth Jury and Critics

At the 28th Singapore International Film Festival, the Youth Jury and Critics Programme makes a welcome return, with the aim of nurturing a new generation of young critics from the region. Since October, the thirteen participants have been meeting every Saturday to attend lectures from various personalities in the industry, ranging from TV presenters like Genevieve Loh to Vietnamese filmmaker Tran Anh Hung. The participants … Continue reading SGIFF 2017: Getting to Know the Youth Jury and Critics

Artist Spotlight: An Interview with Anup Singh, Director of The Song of Scorpions (SGIFF 2017)

In 2001, Geneva-based, Tanzanian-born director Anup Singh made waves around the film festival circuit with his debut feature film The Name of a River. His exploration of Indian culture and mythology through oneiric cinematography and mythic narratives continued in his sophomore feature Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost in 2013 and marked his first collaboration with Indian film actor Irrfan Khan. Anup’s latest film The Song … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: An Interview with Anup Singh, Director of The Song of Scorpions (SGIFF 2017)

Artist Spotlight: An Interview with Kan Lumé, Co-director of hUSh (SGIFF 2017)

  Kan Lumé is an award-winning director and filmmaker based in Singapore. Over the years, he’s worked on various television programmes for Mediacorp, before making his mark as a rising star in the new generation of filmmakers. Kan’s feature films have picked up multiple awards and accolades, including the Best Newcomer Award at the Torino Film Festival for Solos (2007), the NETPAC Award at the … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: An Interview with Kan Lumé, Co-director of hUSh (SGIFF 2017)