The Banter: An Interview with Akshita Nanda, Author of Beauty Queens of Bishan

Since the last time we spoke to author Akshita Nanda, her life has taken quite the turn. No longer an arts correspondent with The Straits Times, Akshita has gone back to hitting the books, not only pursuing a Masters in International Affairs but also getting ready to release her sophomore novel – Beauty Queens of Bishan. From its blurb alone, Beauty Queens of Bishan already feels … Continue reading The Banter: An Interview with Akshita Nanda, Author of Beauty Queens of Bishan

Book Review: Nimita’s Place by Akshita Nanda

Parallel narratives of an Indian grandmother during Partition and her granddaughter in modern day Singapore make for a satisfying debut.  Reading Nimita’s Place feels a little like moving in to a new house – to an ethnically Chinese person reading this, the parallel narratives seen through the eyes of both protagonists present worlds that are rapidly changing, initially unfamiliar, yet places that Akshita eases us into to … Continue reading Book Review: Nimita’s Place by Akshita Nanda

Review: Sink or Swim dir. Gilles Lellouche (French Film Festival 2018)

Synchronized swimming drama moves with its tale of friendship and camraderie. Gilles Lellouche’s Sink or Swim opens with a familiar quote, along the lines of a “square peg never being able to fit into a round hole.” Even from its poster alone, one might be tempted to laugh out loud at the almost comical sight of eight confused men in swimwear, some hairy, some rotund, some … Continue reading Review: Sink or Swim dir. Gilles Lellouche (French Film Festival 2018)

Review: Just A Breath Away dir. Daniel Roby (French Film Festival 2018)

Unusual premise couples with family drama to leave viewers breathless Last week, Daniel Roby’s Just A Breath Away opened the 2018 French Film Festival Singapore. The post-apocalyptic thriller film follows separated parents Mathieu (Roman Duris) and Anna (Olga Kurylenko), as they raise an 11 year old daughter, Sarah, with a unique childhood illness. Forced to survive in a hermetic, bubble-like chamber with its own oxygen supply and … Continue reading Review: Just A Breath Away dir. Daniel Roby (French Film Festival 2018)

Preview: French Film Festival 2018

The French Film Festival returns this November with a lineup of cinema to thrill, chill and evoke laughter! A bumper crop of around 30 classic and contemporary films will be making their appearance this festival, ensuring that it continues to maintain its position as a film festival that’s truly for all. While French cinema has always been popular, it is evident from the 2017 edition … Continue reading Preview: French Film Festival 2018

A Childhood Dream Come True: A Conversation with Writer Akshita Nanda

“I remember when I first came to Singapore in 1995 on a scholarship, my parents told me to eat the food in this country,” Akshita Nanda comments offhand, as we wait for our dinner to arrive at Kogane-Yama. “Food is how you really get to know a country and its culture, and the act of eating itself bonds.” Akshita is perhaps best known as an … Continue reading A Childhood Dream Come True: A Conversation with Writer Akshita Nanda

Preview: French Film Festival 2017

The annual French Film Festival makes a return this November with only the best new French films, some of which will be making their Singaporean premieres! Organised by the French Embassy, Institut Français Singapour and Alliance Française, the 2017 edition of the annual festival runs from 9th – 19th November across various venues. For the first time ever, the festival will be partnering up with … Continue reading Preview: French Film Festival 2017