Sinema Showoff! Balik Kampung Collection 1 Encore4 min read
Reading Time: 4 minutesSinema Showoff! will be bringing back the original Balik Kampung Collection for an encore screening in October, as part of Hari Raya festivities. Showoff! is a programme that showcases short films and selected music videos produced in Singapore by both local and foreign filmmakers.
“The Balik Kampung Collection 1″, originally screened in April this year, is a selection of short films by Malay directors or with Malay / Indonesian themes, carefully curated by Singapore Polytechnic in consultation with Singapore Malay Film Society (SMFS).
This encore screening will take place on the 12th of October, 6.30pm at Sinema Old School (11B Mount Sophia, B1-12, Singapore 228466).
Admission is free!
For media enquiries and interview requests with the directors, please contact Sueanne Teo at sueanne@sinema.sg.
1. TAK DONG CHENG
Suffian Zainuddin | English & Malay | 36 min | PG
Best Friends Jas and Farid are interested to join a lion dance competition. However, they face many obstacles and challenges while trying to learn an art form from a different culture. In a multi-cultural country such as Singapore, will they be able to realize their dreams?
Director’s Bio:
Suffian Zainuddin graduated from Curtin University of Technology with a Bachelor of Commerce. He works full-time at Reuters Singapore and is one of the two co-founders of Singapore Malay Film Society (SMFS).
2. FIGHTING FIT
Sulaiman Salamon | English & Malay | 4 mins | PG
In the film a young man wants to inflict personal injury on himself in order to avoid being assigned to infantry unit for his two years of National Service. He convinces a friend to assist him in his plot. However, both of them get into a verbal fight over the issue and he faces a moment of truth before the act is committed.
The film touches on the psychology of wanting something so badly that one is willing to inflict pain upon oneself to achieve his goal.
Director’s Bio:
Sulaiman Salamon graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 2004 with a Diploma in Film, Sound and Video. Upon completing his National Service, Sulaiman started working as a video editor with various production houses, doing mostly programs for MediaCorp’s Suria TV Channel. He is currently pursuing a degree at Chapman University, Singapore.
3. POTONG ANDAM
Hidayah Amin | English & Malay | 7 mins | PG
Potong Andam is an old Malay ritual which brides undergo to determine their virginity. The film gives a glimpse of the forgotten ritual and the life of Nur, a modern woman who struggles with her personal beliefs and that of her elders.
Director’s Bio:
Hidayah Amin is a member in Media Development Authority(MDA)’s Film Consultative Panel. Hidayah works full-time as a media producer in Ministry of Education (MOE) developing educational videos, audio programmes and interactive resources.
A political science graduate, Hidayah was educated in Singapore (NUS), France and the US where she was a Fulbright scholar at Lehigh University. At year end, Hidayah will be pursuing her post-graduate studies at Cambridge University.
4. LOVE, DIFFERENCES
Alvin Chia | English | 10 mins | PG
A love story, between a Malay madrasah student, Ahmad, and a convent girl, Rebecca.
Director’s Bio:
Alvin Chia graduated with a Diploma in Multimedia Technology from Singapore Polytechnic. He is currently doing his undergraduate studies at National University of Singapore (NUS).
5. LIFE WITH UMMU
Tanya Lai | English & Malay | 11 mins | PG
A heart warming documentary that peeks into the daily life of a severely autistic teenager, Ummu Solehah, who is unable to communicate her needs and thoughts through speech.
Director’s Bio:
Tanya Lai recently completed the Diploma in Mass Communication from Ngee Ann Polytechnic and is currently working as a Junior Copywriter for Bates 141.
6. SANTAN (COCONUT MILK)
Farhan Zulkifli | Malay | 8 mins | G
Adam walks home from school with a new girl he met. When he was trying to run away from the madman who lives near his home, his file fell out of his bag. At home, he realizes he has lost his file but was asked by his mother to buy coconut milk. Instead of buying the coconut milk, he met up with the new girl and went in search of his lost file.
Director’s Bio:
Completed a diploma in Film, Media & TV from Ngee Ann Polytechnic and currently serving his National Service.
7. WEDLOCK
Haidar Afandi | Dialogue-Less | 4 mins | PG (Scene of Intimacy)
An exposition to an interracial relationship, where fairytale endings are often not ‘happily ever after’.
Director’s Bio:
Haidar holds a Diploma in Digital Media Design from Nanyang Polytechnic and currently pursuing a Degree in Digital Filmmaking from Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
8. RARE FISH (IKAN LANGKA) (Curator’s Pick)
Basil Mironer | Bahasa Indonesia | 11 mins | PG
The measure of life in a small, remote fishing village is tested when a young boy strives to catch up to the adults. Filmed in Bintan, Indonesia.
Director’s Bio:
Born in Moscow, Russia, Basil Mironer immigrated to America in the late 1980s.
After witnessing a fellow student’s seizure from a flickering screen, he redirected his passion to storytelling through film and video.
Basil has lived worked and studied in Italy, Spain & the US.
In 2007, Basil was invited to study at NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia as one of thirty-three MFA students. Since living in Singapore, he has honed his directing and cinematography skills on various global productions. From coastal Indonesian fishing villages, chaotic Indian streets, and cosmopolitan Southeast Asian cities; Basil continues to grow as an international filmmaker and hopes to set up base in Singapore.
