Sinema Weekly Digest: 14 – 20 June 20216 min read
Reading Time: 5 minutesThe Sinema Weekly Digest presents a weekly roundup of Asian film news and the latest trailers, releases and events to check out over the weekend!
Top Stories
Singapore Distributor Clover Films Bought by GHY Culture & Media
Chinese-Singapore entertainment group GHY Culture & Media is to acquire majority control of independent Singapore film distributor Clover Films. The move was described as a “strategic investment” and leaves current management in charge of operations at Clover.
Read the full Variety report here.
Japanese Soldier Who Hid in Jungle for Years Subject of Film at Cannes
A film about a Japanese soldier who hid in the jungles of the Philippines for 29 years after the end of World War 2 will be screened at the 74th Cannes International Film Festival as the opening film of the year’s Un Certain Regard section.
Directed by Arthur Harari, Onoda – 10 000 Nights in the Jungle stars Endō Yūya, Tsuda Kanji, Matsuura Yūya, Chiba Tetsuya, Katō Shinsuke, Inowaki Kai and Ogata Issey.
Read all about the film here.
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Director Wishes He Made South Asian Roles ‘More Human’
Film still of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ / Image credit: Warner Bros.
In an interview with Insider, Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu expresses regret with the portrayal of Brown characters in the hit film, wishing that he made them seem “more human”. The film’s few South Asian characters were mostly armed guards working at one of the character’s sprawling mansion in the woods.
Events, Festivals and Happenings
Learn all about the history of Singapore’s vibrant film industry in exhibition ‘Singapore Cinema — A Journey Through History’
The School of the Arts Singapore, in collaboration with Shaw Organisation, Singapore Film Society and library@esplanade, presents an exhibition that will take you on a journey to uncover Singapore’s rich film history.
Experience The Golden Era of Singapore and Malayan Cinema With SAM Mini Mobile Museum
Slander!, a presentation of multidisciplinary artist Jeremy Sharma’s research into Singapore’s films and popular culture of the 1950s and 1960s, is now open at Woodlands Regional Library till 25 July 2021. Sharma revisits a range of films shot and produced in Singapore from 1958 to 1963, the post-war period between the heyday of Singapore’s film industry and Singapore’s eventual independence.
Slander! is the fourth exhibition of the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) Mini Mobile Museum. Following its stop at Woodlands Regional Library, subsequent installments will be presented at the Jurong and Tampines Regional Libraries from 28 July to 12 September, and 15 September to 31 October 2021 respectively.
For full details, visit http://bit.ly/SAMMMM-Slander.
Take a Sunny Getaway With Asian Film Archive’s ‘Seasons in the Sun’ Programme
The programme will be showcasing a selection of films that pays tribute to the sunny getaways that have eluded us this past year. Screening from 19 June to 10 July 2021, the showcase will kick off this Saturday (19 June) with Ariel & Olivia, a lighthearted comedy about a Johor Bahru getaway for two Ah Lians, a boyfriend, and a young cousin.
Check out the full lineup here.
New Trailers
Japanese Auteur Takashi Miike Returns WIth a Children’s Fantasy Film.
Better known for his ultra-violent films, a little known fact about Takashi Miike is his heavy involvement in lighthearted children’s films and television. The Great Yokai War: Guardians, slated for release in August 2021, is a live-action sequel to the 2005 original. The film follows an elementary school student as he saves the world from supernatural monsters and spirits.
New Teaser and Update for Junji Ito’s ‘Uzumaki’ Anime Adaptation
The long-awaited anime adaptation to manga artist Junji Ito’s acclaimed horror manga series Uzumaki is set to be released in October 2022.
New Releases to Stream
Catch the Debut of a Brand New, Father’s Day Film From The #BDNPJump Initiative
The #BDNPJump initiative, a collaboration between independent projects Black Dabba Productions nd The Navya Project, aims to raise the bar in independent, zero-budget filmmaking, and nurture indie filmmaking talent in Singapore. Three films from the initiative — Vesta, Mini, and Dost — are now available to watch on YouTube, with the fourth, debut director Sai Pogaru’s Dad, premiering on Saturday, 19 June 2021.
Apart from Vesta, all films were made in Singapore during the pandemic amidst safe distancing rules. All teams worked with a lean cast and crew, where many members of the team had to double-up responsibilities. Vesta was a global project with participants from 4 different countries and made entirely remotely. Four more films from the initiative are scheduled to release between now to September 2021 so head over to their Facebook page to get the latest updates!
Award-winning Filipino Film ‘Fan Girl’ Now Streaming on Netflix
The winner of the Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Director awards at the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival follows an obsessive teenage girl who tries to break into her idol’s home.
In Theatres This Week
Local Indie Horror Film ‘Konpaku’ Returns To The Big Screen
From the team behind 2020’s Not My Mother’s Baking, the indie horror film follows the forbidden love story between a Malay-Muslim man and a sensual Japanese succubus. Konpaku is now showing in Filmgarde Cineplexes. Grab your tickets now at https://bit.ly/KonpakuFilmgarde.
Chinese Sports Comedy ‘Never Stop’ Races to Singapore Theatres
The hit Chinese film stars Chinese celebrity Zheng Kai as a former sprinter, who, despite previously dominating the 100-meter dash, loses his way after a series of setbacks in the wake of retirement.
Critically-acclaimed Hong Kong Neo-Noir ‘Hand Rolled Cigarette’ Makes Its Wide Release in Singapore
Nominated for seven awards including Best Feature Film at last year’s Golden Horse Film Festival, Hand Rolled Cigarette previously made its Singapore debut as part of the Singapore Chinese Film Festival. The hard-boiled crime drama, starring Gordon Lam and Bipin Karma, is now screening in theatres islandwide.
Banner image credit: Still of ‘Onoda – 10 000 Nights in the Jungle’ / Image credit: Bathysphere Productions
