Sinema Showoff! “Showcase of Foreign Talent”6 min read
Reading Time: 5 minutesSinema Showoff! returns this month with “Showcase of Foreign Talent”.
Curated by Singapore Polytechnic, this month’s programme hopes to highlight the strengths of foreign filmmakers who have produced great films in Singapore, and give both locals and foreign talent a good opportunity to interact & integrate.
We will also be premiering a short film by NYU Tisch student, Uta Arning, entitled “The Perfect Woman”, which has been supported by the German Embassy.
This month’s Sinema Showoff! will be on the 25th of May, 7.30pm at Sinema Old School (11B Mount Sophia, B1-12, Singapore 228466). Admission is free!
For more enquiries or interview requests with the directors, feel free to drop me an email at sueanne[at]sinema[dot]sg.
1. THE TRIUMPH
Ting Sze Kiong | Mandarin | 7 mins | PG
OFFICIAL SELECTION ““ SINGAPORE SHORT FILM AWARDS 2010
OFFICIAL SELECTION ““ PSYCHE! SMU FILM FESTIVAL 2010
In this short film set in the 1950s a simple but beautiful village girl works as a singer in a Chinese teahouse frequented by gangsters.
Shot entirely on ‘RED’ camera.
Supported by Singapore Film Commission (SFC).
Director’s Bio:
Ting Szu Kiong originally from Sabah, Malaysia and now a Singapore Citizen came here in the early 1990s to pursue his studies in National University of Singapore.
Sze Kiong a science graduate is very much a self-trained filmmaker. A staunch Buddhist, Szu Kiong often features deities, mediums and talismans in his films.
THE TRIUMPH is his third short film.
Sze Kiong works full-time in a local publishing firm.
2. DELIAH, BEFORE
Melanie Schiele | English | 10 mins | PG
OFFICIAL SELECTION, PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL SHORTFEST 2009
OFFICIAL SELECTION, SINGAPORE SHORT FILM AWARDS 2010
OFFICIAL SELECTION, SAN FRANCISCO WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL 2010
OFFICIAL SELECTION, WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2010
WINNER, VIRTUAL BEST SHORT FILM, TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2010
Delilah, a young Singaporean woman recovering from a rebellious past and teenage pregnancy, struggles to confront her embittered mother, Corrine, over reassuming custody of her two-year old daughter.
The hardships of the parental transition are poignantly explored as the women share a profound love for the child amidst the tenuous relationship that exists between them.
Director’s Bio:
Melanie Schiele hails from Brooklyn, New York. She possesses her BFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU and was named a Dean’s Fellow and Governor’s Committee Scholar. She is currently a proud member of the inaugural class of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Singapore, working towards an MFA in film production. Her screenplays have been featured in master class workshops led by acclaimed directors Todd Solondz and Shekhar Kapur.
3. SUNRISE
Platon Theodoris | Khmer | 15 mins | PG
BEST MUSIC AWARD ““ BONDI SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2009
FINALIST ““ SINGAPORE SHORT FILM AWARDS, SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2010
SUNRISE tells the story of a small boy who, believing his mother is dead, gives up his beloved school to take care of his two little sisters in their ramshackle, traditional wooden stilt-house. As we follow his best efforts to keep them fed, washed and entertained, we see glimpses of authentic Cambodian life.
Supported by Bates 141.
Director’s Bio:
Platon is an independent director based in Sydney, Australia.
Platon’s work is multi-platform: tv commercials, music clips and, more recently, film. From big corporate brands such as Mitsubishi, Kraft, Nestle, MTV, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Yamaha to small charities and NGO’s such as Operation Smile, The Aids Council and US-AID, Platon works across different budgets and campaign briefs.
His music video work for local and international performers has seen him collect two MTV Music Video Awards.
Platon’s first film LAKEMBA screened at various local and international film festivals including the 52nd London Film Festival. The film gained a limited theatrical release at both Dendy and Hoyts cinemas in Australia and screened on TV networks across Europe.
SUNRISE is his second short film and is expected to do well in the festival circuit.
4. PROMISES IN DECEMBER
Elgin Ho | English, Mandarin, Bahasa Indonesia | 17 mins | PG
BEST FILM – SINGAPORE SHORT FILM COMPETITION, SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2010
BEST DIRECTOR – SINGAPORE SHORT FILM COMPETITION, SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2010
PROMISES IN DECEMBER surrounds two (2) main characters from different backgrounds – an Indonesian domestic helper and a Singaporean taxi driver.
Individually from different backgrounds, they share similar expectations through their struggle, searching for ideals of life in Singapore. One December day, their lives interweave abruptly, revealing the sacrifices they each must face.
Supported by Singapore Film Commission (SFC).
Director’s Bio:
Elgin Ho was born in Hong Kong during the 80s while the country’s cinema industry was booming. He got greatly inspired by the countless movies his parents brought him to watch every weekend. Little did he know that the magical connection experienced, would very much influence him in the way he now crafts his stories.
Elgin’s family relocated to Singapore in 1990. He has since become a Singapore citizen. His previous short films have made appearances in film festivals all over the world, including cities such as Pusan, Auckland, Toronto, Rome and Croatia receiving numerous awards.
Elgin recently graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Digital Filmmaking) from Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
5. THE PERFECT WOMAN (Singapore Premiere)
Uta Arning | German, English | 12 mins | M18
NOMINEE – BEST SCREENPLAY, GRAND OFF FILMAWARD 2009
NOMINEE – WASSERMAN AWARD, FIRST RUN FILMFESTIVAL 2010
NOMINEE – SILVER PALM AWARD, MEXICO INTERNATIONAL FILMFESTIVAL 2010
An alienated factory worker purchases a robotic woman in order to satisfy his senses and fulfill his needs. Only having experienced abuse he doesn’t know how to handle the robot with care.
However, modern engineering fails and he is left unsatisfied. When a vulnerable and love stricken woman falls into his arms, he takes a sudden interest.
Supported by German Embassy Singapore.
Director’s Bio:
Uta Arning grew up in Germany with a family where art was emphasized along side of business and science. Uta studied business administration at Aachen University and Sophia University, Tokyo, and finished with a master’s degree. However, once she received her degree and entered the real world, her passion for film reemerged.
After working on diverse and exciting productions, such as the award-winning German TV production “Trust.Wohltat” and the Michael Ballhaus Film “Von der Hingabe” in cooperation with the Berlin Film School (dffb), working for a TV production house in Berlin, and producing her own short films, Uta enrolled to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Singapore to hone her professional film making skills.
All filmmakers (with the exception of Sunrise’s Platon Theodoris based in Sydney) will be in attendance for a Q&A and photo taking session. The session will be moderated by Chandan St. Clare.
Moderator’s Bio:
Chandan a communications specialist most recently was the Publicity Manager for Singapore International Film Festival.
She has previously worked with Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, Los Angeles International Film Festival, Middle East International Film Festival (UAE) and Thomson – Technicolor.
