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 Imaginarium of Disco David by ANDSOFORTH

There are many ways to enjoy the art of dining. And one of them, at least according to ANDSOFORTH, is to literally bring art to dining. Inspired by similar UK outfits such as Gingerline, ANDSOFORTH producers Stuart Wee and Emily Png presented the latest instalment in their series of immersive dining experience: The Imaginarium of Disco David, taking diners straight back to the 70s as they groove their way … Continue reading Review: The Imaginarium of Disco David by ANDSOFORTH

#mydurian: Backstage Pass with…Ravi

Esplanade’s Head of Operational Support Services Ravi Sivalingam has been with the Esplanade for a long time. And when we say long, we mean even before the Esplanade officially opened its doors in 2002, as part of the planning committee when it was still a construction site.On a day to day basis, Ravi is in charge of ensuring that everything runs smoothly, whether it’s the … Continue reading #mydurian: Backstage Pass with…Ravi

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)

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)

Review: Mama White Snake by W!ld Rice

It’s the end of the year, and frankly, it’s been a long one, one that’s left us somewhat drained, a little emotional, and wanting a break. It’s times like these you want to watch a show that’s entertaining, yet mature enough in its ambition to strike an emotional chord. Thankfully, Mama White Snake is just the right medicine the doctor ordered and ends off W!ld Rice’s 2017 … Continue reading Review: Mama White Snake by W!ld Rice

Review: My Love Is Blind by Musical Theatre Limited

Presented by Musical Theatre Limited, My Love Is Blind marks one of the first locally produced musicals featuring visually impaired actors onstage. Although simple in plot, My Love Is Blind goes all out to push the important message that just because one is blind, doesn’t mean they’re disabled, but in fact, just as capable as a sighted person. Based off the true story of Tan Guan Heng, My … Continue reading Review: My Love Is Blind by Musical Theatre Limited

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)

Artist Spotlight: An Interview with Xu Bing, Director of Dragonfly Eyes (SGIFF 2017)

Chinese visual artist Xu Bing is primarily an installation based artist. But in 2017, he made his film directorial debut with Dragonfly Eyes, snagging the FIPRESCI Prize and Special Mention: Ecumenical Jury at the Locarno International Film Festival 2017. Dragonfly Eyes continues Xu’s ongoing exploration of communication and the way we interact, carefully editing down over 11,000 hours of footage obtained from surveillance cameras to create a completely unstaged, … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: An Interview with Xu Bing, Director of Dragonfly Eyes (SGIFF 2017)