Check out 12 titles Made in Singapore this National Day
The Singapore movie scene is full of gems—ranging from the award-winning Ilo Ilo (2013) to classic fares such as 12 Storeys (1997)—and these films all capture stories and experiences that are quintessentially Singaporean. Whether you’re looking for heartwarming comedies or thought-provoking dramas, this list of local films has got it covered for you. Since Singapore’s 54th birthday is coming up, what better time to celebrate our homegrown talent than on National Day?
1. That Girl in Pinafore (2013), dir Chai Yee Wei
After making his feature film debut with the horror film Blood Ties (2009) and following up with the supernatural comedy Twisted (2011), Chai Yee Wei’s third feature film is considerably different as it marks his venture into a musical-comedy. That Girl in Pinafore (2013) is a light-hearted coming of age film set in 1993, blending Singapore folk music with familiar vignettes of schooldays in the 90s.
The film, starring Daren Tan and Julie Tan, centres on a group of teens and their efforts to bring business back to a struggling folk music pub. Inspired by his earlier years in secondary school and drawing upon his fervent interest in the Xinyao genre, That Girl in Pinafore (2013) is Chai’s most personal film yet. Not only is this a heartfelt story that is sure to evoke nostalgia among those who grew up in that era, the universal topics of love, friendship and dreams make this a relatable watch for all Singaporeans.
Chai Yee Wei’s That Girl in Pinafore
2. Unlucky Plaza (2014), dir Ken Kwek
Unlucky Plaza (2014), notably the first local film in the Singapore International Film Festival’s history to be selected as Opening Film, is a thriller that serves up a commentary on the social fabric in Singapore. Directed by Ken Kwek, the film showcases the bold comedic style that he is known for, combining social satire with dark humour. In this film, migrant business owner Onassis Hernandez faces financial struggles as his restaurant in Lucky Plaza is plagued by a food poisoning scandal. Forced to take desperate measures, he takes hostage of two captives in their bungalow. Inspired by the social changes happening in Singapore, the film explores tensions between classes and makes for an entertaining and thought-provoking thriller. The film has made waves beyond the shores of Singapore. Besides travelling to multiple film festivals across the world, it was an official selection at Toronto International Film Festival, one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world.
3. Red Dragonflies (2010), dir Liao Jiekai
A recipient of the Special Jury Prize at the 2010 Jeonju International Film Festival, Red Dragonflies (2010) is not your typical film. Red Dragonflies plays out in two different timelines; in the past, three adolescents, Rachel and two friends, are exploring an abandoned railway track in Singapore in the past. However, their adventure is cut short when one of them goes missing. In the present, the now 26-year-old Rachel returns to Singapore from the States and attempts to rekindle a connection with an old friend. The film, with its fluid interweaving between past and present, may not adhere to traditional plot as we know it, but nevertheless manages to evoke an atmosphere that is dreamy and nostalgic. The idea for this film started innocuously enough, with Liao’s discovery of a home-video tape documenting a hike through an abandoned railway track back in his high school days. What resulted was an intensely personal film showcasing his take on the changes and rapid developments that Singapore has seen. If you’re looking for something beyond the typical fare, check out this hypnotic and evocative film.
Liao Jiekai’s Red Dragonflies
4. 18 Grams of Love (2007), dir Han Yew Kwang
The title of this film refers to the weight of a love letter, but love letters take on a different connotation in Han Yew Kwang’s film. Han, known for his comedies such as When Hainan Meets Teochew (2011), Rubbers (2015), and most recently When Ghost Meets Zombie (2019), shows his knack for humour in his second feature film. 18 Grams of Love, a comedy-drama, features two friends who suspect their spouses of having affairs and devise a scheme to test their fidelity. They do so by writing love letters to each other’s wives, but things do not go as planned and hilarity ensues along the way. This highly popular film exploring the complexities of love has won the Audience Choice category at the 13th Lyon Asian Film Festival.
5. The Obs: A Singapore Story (2014), dir Yeo Siew Hua
The Observatory is an independent art rock band that has been in the Singapore music scene for 18 years, and Yeo Siew Hua’s The Obs: A Singapore Story (2014) is an experimental music documentary that pays tribute to that. Their long-running career has spanned eight albums, but instead of remaining stagnant, the band has constantly been experimenting with sound, pushing boundaries, and melding different genres ranging from psychedelic folk to electronica to create music that is often cutting-edge. Yeo—who recently achieved a historic win at the Locarno Film Festival with his film A Land Imagined (2018)—takes a deep dive into the band’s history and evolution, deftly weaving archival interview footage with interviews of the band’s past and present members. While the band members are known for being intensely private and averse to publicity, the film takes a rare peek at the intimate workings of this homegrown band. To produce this documentary, the filmmakers had to crowdfund after being denied grant money from the government, eventually raising around S$50,000. Not just for diehard fans of The Observatory, The Obs: A Singapore Story, as the title suggests, sheds light on Singapore’s societal and cultural landscape and explores the challenges that the band has faced throughout the years.
6. Ilo Ilo (2013), dir Anthony Chen
Anthony Chen’s second feature film, Wet Season, will be making its premiere soon, but it would be worthwhile to revisit the directorial debut that earned him worldwide attention. The first and only Singapore film to receive recognition at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, Ilo Ilo paints a domestic drama about an ordinary middle-class family in Singapore. Not only did it win the Camera d’Or prize at Cannes, it also went on to receive four prizes at the Golden Horse Awards, often dubbed the Oscars for Chinese-language films. Set in the 1990s amidst the Asian Financial Crisis, the story portrays the struggles of the Lim family, who have a 10-year-old son and another child on the way. To relieve their burden, they hire Terry, a Filipino domestic helper played by Angeli Bayani, who later forms a strong bond with the son. The film boasts a stellar cast, with veterans like Yeo Yann Yan and Chen Tianwen giving strong performances alongside scene-stealing newcomer Koh Jia Ler. This is a highly personal film, with Chen drawing inspiration from his own experiences, and will no doubt be relatable to many Singaporeans.
Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo
7. Gone Shopping (2007), dir Wee Li Lin
Wee Li Lin—one of the pioneer female filmmakers in Singapore—made her foray into filmmaking with her first feature film, Gone Shopping (2007). Singapore is famous for being a shopping paradise, but Gone Shopping attempts to break down the shiny veneer of the countless shopping malls that pepper Singapore’s landscape. The film intertwines three independent stories, all set in Singapore’s shopping centres. It features three characters—Clara, a ‘tai tai’ who often wanders from shop to shop and crosses path with her old flame one day; Renu, an eight-year-old Indian girl abandoned by her parents in Little India’s Mustafa departmental store; and an angsty young man who skives to hang around in shopping centres in search of company. Gone Shopping is a thoughtful meditation on the pervasive culture of consumerism in Singapore, and has received international recognition, screening at various international film festivals such as the 11th Shanghai International Film Festival.
8. Mr Unbelievable (2015), Ong Kuo Sin
Singaporeans love a good laugh, and the popularity of Mr Unbelievable is testament to that. Written and directed by Ong Kuo Sin, Mr Unbelievable is an entertaining and wacky tale about Eric Kwek, a getai singer who wishes to make it big and incorporates English words into Hokkien song. Chen Tianwen plays the titular character, Mr Unbelievable, and is supported by real-life getai star Liu Ling Ling, Marcus Chin and Ah Boys To Men star Tosh Zhang. The origins of this film are equally unbelievable: what was originally meant to be a music video to promote the television sitcom Spouse for House attracted more than 3 million views on Youtube and Facebook, spawning various parodies and eventually culminating in the making of Mr Unbelievable. A tale about an underdog’s strong will to achieve his goals even at the age of 50, Mr Unbelievable is proof that dreams are not the sole province of the young.
9. Lucky Boy (2017), Boris Boo
Lucky Boy (2017) is a comedy and coming-of-age film directed by Boris Boo, and many would recognise the main lead, Wang Weiling, as the affable, smart-talking Lobang in Ah Boys To Men (2012). In Lucky Boy, he plays a lovelorn boy, Lin Yu, who is somehow always down on his luck. The film chronicles Lin Yu’s life as he navigates his perpetual misfortune, while pining for his childhood crush. Set in Singapore from the 70s to present day, the film is steeped in nostalgia, which is bolstered by references to significant events in Singapore’s history, including the SARS outbreak and the collapse of Hotel New World.
10. Apprentice (2016), dir Boo Junfeng
Capital punishment is a heavy topic to address, but Boo Junfeng has managed to examine the complexities surrounding it in Apprentice (2016). The critically acclaimed film was not only screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, but also bagged the Grand Prix at the Fribourg International Film Festival (FIFF). In the film, Boo explores the death penalty and its effects through the perspective of Aiman, a correctional officer who is transferred to the country’s top-security prison and begins to form a connection with the chief executioner, Rahim. When Rahim’s assistant quits, Aiman replaces him as his apprentice. Wan Hanafi Su, who plays Rahim, is a veteran actor from Malaysia who has accumulated four decades’ worth of experience in the business. In Apprentice, he demonstrates his acting chops with subtlety, playing the difficult role of an experienced executioner with finesse. Acting alongside him is Firdaus Rahman, who was nominated for Best Newcomer at Hong Kong’s Asian Film Awards for his performance in this film. Boo spent three years researching on capital punishment and spoke to a few former executioners in the making of Apprentice, eventually crafting a film that offers a nuanced take on such a polarising issue.
Boo Junfeng’s Apprentice
11. Mee Pok Man (1995), dir. Eric Khoo
Before Ramen Teh (2018), there was Mee Pok Man (1995). Eric Khoo is a self-proclaimed lover of food and especially local cuisine, and is well-known for his recurring use of food imagery in his films. In Mee Pok Man, Khoo paints a doomed romance between Bunny the prostitute and Johnny, a lonely and mentally challenged mee pok seller who pines for her. Born of a story written by pulp horror writer Damien Sin, Khoo’s directorial debut examines the seedy underbelly of Singapore, so often obscured by glamorous and sanitised depictions of the country. Deemed one of Singapore’s most influential and seminal films, Mee Pok Man won awards in Fukuoka, Pusan and Singapore, and was screened at over 60 film festivals around the world, including prestigious festivals such as Venice, Berlin and Rotterdam.
12. 12 Storeys (1997), dir Eric Khoo
Following up on the success of Mee Pok Man (1995), Eric Khoo continued pushing boundaries with his film 12 Storeys (1997). The first Singaporean film to be invited officially to participate in the 50th Cannes Film Festival, 12 Storeys takes an illuminating look at the tragic lives of everyday Singaporeans and offers a sharp critique on the social condition in Singapore. The film weaves together different characters living in the same HDB block – Ah Gu, a middle-aged man who is plagued by marital troubles with his wife from China; San San, an obese woman who lives alone with her elderly mother; and Meng, a righteous young man who attempts to rein in his rebellious younger sister. With its observant take on the lives of disaffected and alienated Singaporeans, set against the backdrop of iconic HDBs, the film indisputably occupies a significant place in Singapore’s cinematic history.
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This National Day, A Little Seed is running a special promotion for these local films, which will ensure that your long weekend does not get dull. This promotion will run on iTunes from 9th – 15th August and the films will be pegged at a retail price of only $7.98, so catch them while you can!
Tan Wei Xin is currently studying English Literature at the National University of Singapore, enjoying her last year as an undergraduate before being thrown into the real world. She hopes to pursue her love of writing in future and eventually finish watching the 362 films on her IMDB watchlist.
