PSS 08/2 Event and Post Party

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Thank You for your support

Thank you for attending PROJECT: SlingSHORT08/2!

We are delighted to present our 2nd installment of PROJECT: slingSHORT this year. Due to the overwhelming responds of films submitted during our open call earlier this year, a second screening was necessary.

We were able to raise a total of SGD$835.00 from the proceeds of the over subscribed and sold out screening of the last PROJECT: slingSHORT, which was in aid of the Asian Film archive.

We are delighted to announce that PROJECT: slingSHORT has also teamed up with Sinema to create a social initiative called projectION. Proceeds from this screening will be in aid of that initiative.

projectION brings the less fortunate from selected charities to the cinema. The selected charities are voted by the audience from the London screenining of PROJECT: slingSHORT.

Sinema has also agreed to host a screening of PROJECT: slingSHORT08 at Sinema Old School in Singapore to help raise additional funds for projectION.

PROJECT: slingSHORT is an ongoing series of Singapore short films. The selection of short films for each series comes from an ensemble of new up and coming Singapore filmmakers. A different Singapore short filmmaker curates each screening and selects the next curator from one of the filmmakers from the current screening.

Each PROJECT: slingSHORT screening acts as a launch platform for at least two complete unknown Singapore short filmmakers, one based in the UK (where possible) and the other from Singapore.

This screening of PROJECT: slingSHORT08 would not have been possible without the kind support of the Overseas Singaporean Unit, Singapore High Commission in London, Sinema, Thunk and MindLab. Special thanks to the selected filmmakers and last but not least, Victric Thng for all his curating efforts and for putting together yet another enjoyable film selection.

Enjoy PROJECT: SlingSHORT08/2…


Kind Regards,
Brian Tan
event coordinator [PROJECT: slingSHORT08/2]


For sponsorship opportunities please contact Brian Tan:
brian.tan@thedesignpharmacy.com or projectslingshort@gmail.com

PROJECT: slingSHORT 08/2

PROJECT: slingSHORT08/2
Saturday 29th November 2008
2.00 - 4.00pm
Charlotte Street Hotel
15-17 Charlotte Street London W1T 1RJ

Admission: £5 per ticket
Order your tickets by contacting Brian Tan at 07930378922
Or email projectslingshort@gmail.com

All proceeds to PROJECT: slingSHORT will be donated to a social initiative.

List of Films Shown:
4 days 3 Nights by Ming
Zo Hee by Jacen Tan
Wet Season by Michael Tay
Embryo by Loo Zihan
Duck by Rae Lyn Lee
Haze by Anthony Chen
Overhead Clouds by Yeo Lee Nah
Love Through The Ages by Wendy Chee
Unarmed Combat by Han Yew Kwang
Nation Builders by Martyn See

PROJECT: slingSHORT 08/2 - synopsis

Screening selection:
Curated by Victric Thng

4 Days 3 Nights by Ming
1 min 14 sec / 35mm Digital Cam / 2007

A short time lapse inspired by the people who brave the elements at the Subaru Impreza challenge which has become an annual event. Curious, the artist spent the same amount of time out at Ngee Ann city civic plaza document this laborious process, compressing the whole 4 days 3 nights conveniently into a manageable one minute 14 seconds piece for the viewers.

Zo Hee (Make Movie) by Jacen Tan
15 min / miniDV / 2008

Zo Hee is the sequel to Zo Gang, specially comissioned by The Substation to celebrate 10 years of its Moving Images film programme. Follow Ah-Tan as he continues his journey to shoot his first film, facing problems like budget constraints and security guards. Zo Hee features cameo appearances by Singaporean filmmakers like Tan Pin Pin and Juan Foo.

Wet Season by Michael Tay*
Approx. 6 min / miniDV / 2007

“Wet Season” is a stop motion animation about a filmmaker who is trying to make a short film about his father. Shot, edited, narrated, directed and starring Michael Tay, this almost-one-man production is made as a tribute to the film maker’s real life father who passed away six years ago.

Embryo by Loo Zihan*
6 min 30 sec / miniDV / 2006

Jack and Jill went up a hill to get a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown, Jill broke out in laughter.

Duck by Rae Lyn Lee*
3min 16sec / 16mm / 2008

Duck was made and screened as part of an ongoing joint short film collaboration project - "Transcriptions", between The National Gallery (London) and The London Film School. Working with a tiny budget and project restrictions, Duck was shot in a day, on 16mm color film, with its audio created almost entirely using foley in post production.

Haze by Anthony Chen*
14 min 18 sec / Super 16mm / 2008

On a hot, humid day, Singapore is shrouded by the haze caused by burning forests in neighbouring Indonesia. Two teenagers decide to skip school and idle the day away. An innocent love affair plays out indoors amidst the dust and smoke that spreads outside.

Overhead Clouds by Yeo Lee Nah
3min 16sec / 16mm / 2008

A man has a dark cloud hanging over his head, literally. Unable to find employment after college, his confidence starts to evaporate. Cloudy, the resident cloud, feeds off his energy and becomes a bit of a nuisance and an absolute pain.

Love Through The Ages by Wendy Chee*
5 min 04 sec / DV / 2007

A big cockroach that landed on grandma’s bed triggers off a never-ending nagging session at non-responding resolute grandpa. What it seems to be a usual routine of rumblings takes us to a trip back to the 1950s where we see grandpa and grandma first dated. But does the passionate love back then still exist 50 years later? Or is it like what grandma claims, that her love for grandpa has been cheated by him?

Unarmed Combat by Han Yew Kwang
20 min / miniDV / 2004

A satire on human obsessions - Metal works late every night. He is afraid to return home to his stalwart wife who is obsessed with winning the Singapore Women Arm Wrestling Competition. She trains intensively everyday and forces him to train with her. One day, he decides that enough is enough...

Nation Builders by Martyn See
14 min / miniDV / 2007

The wealth generated by Singapore's much-touted economic success story has not benefited everyone, least of all its senior citizens, a.k.a. the nation builders. Filmed on the streets and back-alleys of downtown Singapore in July 2007, this video does not contain any enactments or acting.

* New short filmmakers who are currently in film school or recently graduated.

PROJECT: slingSHORT08/2 filmmakers

4 days 3 Nights by Ming
Zo Hee by Jacen Tan
Wet Season by Michael Tay
Embryo by Loo Zihan
Duck by Rae Lyn Lee
Haze by Anthony Chen
Overhead Clouds by Yeo Lee Nah
Love Through The Ages by Wendy Chee
Unarmed Combat by Han Yew Kwang
Nation Builders by Martyn See

Ming

Ming / 4 Days 3 Nights

Let your environment speak to you, that's what Singapore-based artist Ming has been doing throughout his career. Taking inspiration from the little things that surrounds him, Ming injects a fresh and thoughtful perspective to the subjects he encounters. A graphic designer by training, Ming's pictures have a graphical quality to them. Apart from producing beautiful images, he is more interested in pictures that touches and invoke feelings. Well travelled and exhibited, Ming constantly reinvents himself by working on new mediums and collaborating with other artists. This has allowed Ming to have work on multiple platforms working with film, sound, video art, and spaces.

Jacen Tan

Jacen Tan / Zo Hee (Make Movie)

Jacen Tan got lucky when his first short film, Tak Giu (Kick Ball), gained a cult following with over 100,000 views after it was distributed free on the Internet.
In 2005, his 2nd film, Zo Peng (Go Army), won 2nd place at the Panasonic/MDA Digital Film Fiesta, Short Film Open Category.
Jacen's latest films, Zo Gang & Zo Hee continue his well-received style of lo-budget filmmaking with a unique sense of local humor. He is currently working on a documentary about the electrifying match atmosphere in Singapore's National Stadium, which is slated to be torn down.

Director's Statement:
Zo Gang and Zo Hee are based on real-life experiences of what artists encounter when making film and music in Singapore. Have a hilarious but thought-provoking peek into Singapore's art scene!

Michael Tay

Michael Tay / Wet Season

Michael is a graduate from theSchool of Film, Sound and Video at Ngee Ann Polytechnic where he studiedscreenwriting, editing and cinematography. He went on to pursue his degree inthe School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University.

In 2005, Michael began actively making short films of his own, and he has made five to date. Usually working with a small crew of not more than five people, his latest production Wet Season marks his first attempt at casting and directing himself in front of the camera.

Festival Screenings / Awards:
Jogja NETPAC Asian Film Festival, 2008, Indonesia
- Best Short Film
21st Singapore International Film Festival, 2008, Singapore
- Special Jury Prize
5th Singapore Short Cuts, 2008, Singapore
- Selected for Screening
4th InDPanda International Short Film Festival, 2008, HK
- Selected for Screening

Loo Zihan

Loo Zihan / Embryo

Zihan’s first passion wasn’t filmmaking, but rather - graphic design. He enrolled into Lasalle-SIA College of the Arts after completing Junior College determined to become a Creative Art Director.

In 2005, Zihan made the decision to transfer to Nanyang Technological University’s new School of Art, Design and Media to become part of its pioneer batch of students. Somewhere along the way in Foundation year, Zihan got bitten by the filmmaking bug and has never looked back since.

Zihan is currently completing his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Digital Filmmaking) in NTU.

Festival Screenings / Awards :
- 5th Singapore Short Cuts, 2008.
- “Painkiller for my Foreign Body” by Asian Film Archive, 2007.
- 4th Singapore Short Cuts, 2007.

Director’s Statement:
EMBRYO was devised with its performer, Ruby Pan. We drew on a process of stream-of-conciousness association and working with the space on location. Ruby provided a piece of text and talked about an initial performance she staged as part of her course in university. I was interested in capturing that performance and giving it an alternative intepretation, EMBRYO was a result of this process.

Rae Lyn Lee

Rae Lyn Lee / Duck

Rae Lyn Lee started working professionally as an in-house editorial photographer for Singapore Press Holdings Magazines, straight after graduating from Temasek Polytechnic Design School. Having shot for titles such as Her World, Shape and ICON magazine for over a year, she moved on to a lucrative career in commercial stills photography and was inducted into the Professional Photographers Association of Singapore. However, she decided to take a hiatus from the still photography industry to pursue her passion for Cinema. She is currently on an MDA scholarship pursuing a Masters in Filmmaking at The London Film School.

Director's Statement:
As life would have it, a lonely Chinese duck rice seller learns that some words have more than one meaning.

Anthony Chen

Anthony Chen / Haze

Born in 1984 in Singapore, Anthony Chen enrolled in the School of Film & Media Studies, Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 2001 to pursue his passion in filmmaking. Apart from being a film enthusiast, Anthony has served as a radio presenter, a movie reviewer and has done work as an actor both on stage and on screen. In 2004, he graduated from film school with his graduation film, G-23, which went on to screen at over 40 film festivals around the globe and won awards in Korea, France, Belgium, Malaysia and Singapore. His second short film, Ah Ma (Grandma), secured a Special Mention Award at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, the first time a Singapore filmmaker was awarded in Cannes. Haze marks his third short film effort and was nominated for the Golden Bear for Short Film at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Film Directing at the National Film and Television School, UK.

Festival Screenings / Awards :
-58th Berlin International Film Festival, Germany
(Nominee, Golden Bear for Short Film)
-21st Singapore International Film Festival (Singapore Panorama)
-55th Sydney Film Festival, Australia
-36th Huesca International Film Festival, Spain (In Competition)
-Osian’s-Cinefan, 10th Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema, India
-57th Melbourne International Film Festival, Australia
(In Competition)
-5th Anonimul International Film Festival, Romania
(In Competition)
-4th Monterrey International Film Festival, Mexico (In Competition)

Director’s Statement:
Haze aims to capture a slice of the “youth” that all of us once owned. It is a sensitive observation of the rebellious, reckless, unpretentious, ignorant and innocent nature of youths and depicts the silly things that we do and say before we come of age.

First love is perhaps always awkward, pure in a certain way, selfish in another, beautiful and sinful at the same time.

The film does not attempt to judge the actions of its characters, but portrays the event as a phase of life that everyone goes through, that eventually helps form what we are today.

Yeo Lee Nah

Yeo Lee Nah / Overhead Clouds

Yeo Lee Nah is a performer at heart, whose love for performance found its channel in filmmaking, animation and design. Basically, she just wants to have fun making work that people can relate to.

Festival Screenings / Awards :
-Sinema, Singapore, 2008
-The Substation, Digital Film Fiesta, Singapore, 2006
-International Short Film Festival (French-Asian),
Bangkok, Thailand 2006
-4th International Istanbul Children Film Festival,
Istanbul, Turkey 2006

Wendy Chee

Wendy Chee / Love Through The Ages

Formally an industrial designer at Nanyang Polytechnic, Wendy is now pursing her Bachelor's Degree in Filmmaking at Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design and Media.
Passionately in love with filmmaking, her first short film “Love through the ages” has won her recognitions film festivals and it motivates her to create more great works in the future.

Festival Screenings / Awards :
-Urban Nomad Film Festival, Taiwan, 2008.
-Singapore Short Cuts, 2008.

Director’s Statement:
Love, when we are young is Crazy
Love, when we are matured is Knowing each other
Love, when we are old is Discovery…

My grandma used to complain that her love for grandpa is being cheated. Funny I thought, as I have heard these words over and over again from other women. As time passes by, people lost their passion for each other, people lost their desire for each other and we became used to each other’s presence. This film expresses my thoughts towards love when we are old. A bit of nagging once in a while could add more spice to life.

Han Yew Kwang

Han Yew Kwang / Unarmed Combat

In 2002, Yew Kwang’s 35mm short film The Call Home won the Best Short Film Award at the 15th Singapore International Film Festival. The Call Home went on to clinch Audience Choice Award at the 18th Singapore International Film Festival. In 2005, Yew Kwang made his audacious and wildly funny debut feature Unarmed Combat. In 2007, Yew Kwang made his second feature film 18 Grams of Love which won the Public Award for Best Film and the Young Jury Award at the 13th Lyon Asian Film Festival and the Public Award at the 5th Ofensiva International Film Festival.

Director’s statement:
A friend of mine told me about an interesting Japanese documentary whereby some housewives are obsessed with and are taking part in a local arm wrestling event. I began to wonder how their husbands felt about that. Would they oppose their wives' obsession? What would they do? Therefore I decided to make this film to examine and explore the theme of obsession, and to satisfy my own curiosity.

Martyn See

Martyn See / Nation Builders

Martyn See is a 39 documentary filmmaker from Singapore. His first two films, Singapore Rebel and Zahari's 17 Years, are banned by the Singapore Government. He was also subjected to a 15 month-long police investigation for alleged violation of the Films Act, which bans political films. Nation Builders is his fourth documentary.
Curator’s Comments:

Curator's notes

Do Singaporeans have a sense of humour? I always wonder.

Hello. Once again, it gives me great pleasure to present yet another wonderful series of Singapore short films.

Sourced and acquired from the four corners of Singapore, what you can expect from this line-up is probably a deeper insight at how Singaporeans deal with their daily mundane lives. And no, it will not be boring, in fact, it can be pretty entertaining, I assure you.

I am very glad to bring back Jacen Tan and Anthony Chen again. In my opinion, these 2 are some of the most important young filmmakers in Singapore right now. While Jacen’s wacky indie flicks blown the local underground film circuit away, Anthony’s assured works garnered international recognitions and made us proud.

Besides these 2, I am also very delighted to introduce some other highly promising young filmmakers - Loo Zihan, Michael Tay, Wendy Chee and Rae Lee. Evidently, each one of them already possesses an individual voice and personal style in their films. I am half-guessing that if these budding filmmakers continue true to their passion, we may just expect another new wave of Singapore Cinema.

It will be interesting to note that there is one person in this programme who is not a filmmaker but a photographer. Ming takes the honour to open this programme with his short -‘4 Days 3 Nights’, a quirky look at a ‘Win-a-Car Challenge’. Though the film was merely less than 2 minutes long, it was actually shot over a span of 4 sleepless days. This film is a simple observation of how crazy we can get over a (free) car.

Among them, we also have more noted filmmakers like Han Yew Kwang, Yeo Lee Nah and Martyn See, whom by their own, gained much respects of their works. However,
I’d like to mention that I am exceptionally thrilled to have included Martyn’s film this time. Martyn is a vital voice that needs to be heard and reckoned with. We should pay attention to filmmakers like him. His poignant piece – ‘Nation Builders’, closes this series.

Once again, I’d like to thank everyone in creative [SIN]ergy, especially to the very lovely Brian Tan. My thanks also go to Asian Film Archive for providing Yew Kwang’s film and Thunk Pte Ltd who helped me graciously in both the slingSHORT I curated. Above all, to all the filmmakers, thank you very much, because without you, we will not be able to see such worthy films.

Taking this opportunity, it is also my pleasure to introduce to you the next curator of PROJECT:slingSHORT – Eva Tang. Someone, whom I regard as one of the strongest short filmmakers in Singapore. I am very sure that she will bring you another good selection of short films, as I know that she has good taste.

So, do Singaporeans have a sense of humour?
Do we laugh at ourselves?
I hope you find the answer from the short films you are about to watch. Enjoy!

Victric Thng

PROJECT: slingSHORT08/2 - curated by Victric Thng

For these past few years, Victric Thng has brought a quixotic and poetic sensibility to Singapore cinema with a series of imaginative and exquisite shortfilms that have garnered critical acclaim both locally and internationally.

A filmmaker of verve and invention, Victric creates lyrical stories that revive that precious sense of intimate human interactions and relations. It is his sublime and insightful examination on the nature of identity, connection and desire for intimacy that sets him apart as one of the most promising filmmakers in Singapore today.

www.victricthng.com

The Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU)

The Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU) was set up in January 2006 and officially launched by DPM Wong Kan Seng in London on 13 March 2006. Its role is to plan and coordinate multi-agency programmes and initiatives to engage the Overseas Singaporean community.

Our Diaspora is an integral part of Singapore society. The Government set up the Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU) to serve as a dedicated platform to connect Overseas Singaporeans back to Singapore.

To actively engage Overseas Singaporeans, OSU's mission falls into three broad areas:

First and foremost, the OSU will actively provide information and facilitative services to Overseas Singaporeans. We aim to enable Overseas Singaporeans to find out more about developments in Singapore and facilitate their access to various services provided by the public and private sectors.

Second, for those who are interested in employment opportunities back in Singapore or in Singapore-based companies with operations overseas, the OSU will seek to provide the interface between Overseas Singaporeans and potential employers.

Third, we hope to create a "home away from home". This would mean more social events to enable our Overseas Singaporean Diaspora to bond and network among themselves and also with locally-based Singaporeans. This would include events in major overseas cities with significant Overseas Singaporean communities as well as back in Singapore.

The OSU will coordinate existing programmes and introduce new initiatives to engage the Overseas Singaporean Diaspora.

Some of the planned key initiatives include:
- Dedicated website to serve the needs of Overseas Singaporeans - www.overseassingaporean.sg
- Signature networking and engagement events in major overseas cities and Singapore such as the Distinguished Business Leaders' series of events
- Job fairs and link-ups with Singapore-based companies
- Tie-up with relevant government agencies to help Overseas Singaporeans who intend to relocate back to Singapore

The OSU welcomes feedback, suggestions and participation from all Overseas Singaporeans in this engagement effort. Write to us and share your ideas and aspirations with us.
Email us at nps_osu@nps.gov.sg.

Sinema Old School

Situated atop Mount Sophia, at the newest and ultra-hip creative arts hub known as Old School, Sinema – founded by Nicholas Chee and Randy Ang – provides a cozy cinematic experience with plush leather sofas seating 136 and state of the art projection and sound system.

The recently formed Sinema Academy of Motion Pictures (SAMP) functions as an active Social Enterprise, supporting the growth of the film industry by providing professional education and services while actively engaging the community via cultural enhancement programs.

Sinema’s reach includes its large Facebook community and active Sinemaniacs (our membership base). Sinema.SG has received over 1.3 million hits and serves not only as a portal for local and regional independent work but also a resource on filmmaking, including a multitude of articles, reviews and vodcasts.

Programming: Sinema screens a wide range of Singapore films and documentaries and also showcases short films weekly. Our popular Talkback sessions include Q&As with the filmmakers and allow the audience a glimpse into the world behind the camera. The latest schedule can be found at www.sinema.sg/oldschool.

Together with our long-term technology partner, the Panasonic Sinema Mobile brings Singapore films to the heartland and beyond with a mobile screening van – equipped with state of the art screen, HD projector and editing suite.

Supported by Creative Community Singapore (a key MICA initiative), the Sinema Incubator Program was created to encourage the production of professional-quality High Definition (HD) film projects by identifying potential filmmakers, scripts and ideas, providing production management resources, filming equipment and mentorship with Industry leaders.

Stemming from the belief that music is an integral part of the filmmaking process Sinema Sessions was created to allow independent musicians to showcase their unique sound in an intimate concert venue.

www.sinema.sg

MindLAB

Mind L.A.B is an organic collaborative platform aim for interactions and to connect individuals to form teams to develop experimental propositions in various design disciplines. We believe only through unpremeditated experimentation one can cultivates alternatives and propels design beyond our pre-conception.

www.mindlab-uk.org

Thunk!

Thunk is boutique video production house with a focus on corporate films and other communication videos. From 30-second launch videos to full-fledged company profiles, Thunk infuses design and motion graphic elements into its work. The result is fresh, eye-catching visuals that connect our clients to their audience.

Thunk: creating noise with motion

www.thunk.com.sg

PROJECT: slingSHORT 08/2 - supported by

This screening of PROJECT: slingSHORT08/2, is supported by:
Overseas Singaporean Unit
Singapore High Commission in London
Sinema
Thunk
MindLAB

PROJECT: slingSHORT08/1 poster

Poster design courtesy of: MindLAB

PROJECT: slingSHORT08/1 filmmakers

Flat Dreams by Eva Tang
Blood Ties by Chai Yee Wei*
Passenger by Green Zeng
Take Me Home by Gözde + Russel Zehnder
Block 46 by Ghazi Alqudcy*
(S)439 965 by Elgin Ho*
For Naomi by Benjamin Tan*

Curated by Victric Thng
* New short filmmakers who are currently in film school or recently graduated.

PROJECT: slingSHORT08/1

Screening selection:
Curated by Victric Thng

Flat Dreams by Eva Tang
14min 50sec / DVC-Pro High Definition / 2007

A short film about public housing dwellers trying to make sense of their mundane lives. Comprising 3 little shorts spanning 3 generations: Flat, Neighbourhood Watch, Void Deck ~ we see ordinary people living a flat life with little dreams.

Blood Ties by Chai Yee Wei*

11min 40sec / DVC-Pro High Definition / 2007

Qing was the sole witness to her brother’s murder. But when her brother’s murderers turn up dead, things don’t appear to be as simple as it seems. Madam Lee, after having to cope with the recent death of her son, now has to deal with the possibility that her daughter may be involved with the deaths of these killers.

At the same time, the second short acted as a joint to provide a connection between the entire three shorts together, and in its make believe world, will have surely reached out and inspired everyone to take a look back into what we did with our own, when we were the young boy's age. The third story following the plight of an unemployed elderly lady, was to me, the least interesting of the lot, maybe because of its abstract moments which I cannot identify with. It had a highly fantastical element towards the end, but you can tell that I was in joy when the end credits started to roll at that point.

Passenger by Green Zeng
16min / HDV / 2006

A taxi driver picks up an old woman late in the night and joins her on an unexpected journey of remembrance and rediscovery.

Take Me Home by Gözde + Russel Zehnder
16min / Super 8mm / 2006

Entirely shot on super-8mm film, this short tells a story about 3 characters. A young woman leaves home to buy cat food and fails to come back home. Meanwhile her Aunty Valerie waits anxiously for her return. When Valerie finds a watch in her letterbox, she finally accepts her once lost memories.

Block 46 by Ghazi Alqudcy*
13min 08sec / 2007

Block 46 tries to discover Singapore’s deepest secret about the mass suicide that happened on 6th April 2006. Not many know about this, as the media are not allowed to have coverage over this massacre. A total of 6 people committed suicide by jumping down from the top of the building to end their misery.

(S)439 965 by Elgin Ho*
7min / HDV / 200

A reflective journey through one’s memory that will bring us closer to our hearts; a visual diary of a little corner in Singapore called Katong during the 90s. This film was made to challenge the conventional boundaries of what defines a documentary and a fictional film.

For Naomi by Benjamin Tan*
3min / miniDV / 2007

A simple story told through a simple short, inspired by an emotionally charged turn of true events. This is a film revealing, beneath its surface masquerade of simplicity, the apathy inherent in being grounded.

PROJECT: slingSHORT 08/1 - supported by

This screening of PROJECT: slingSHORT08/1, is supported by:
Singapore High Commission in London
Asian Film Archive
Kristin Saw from The Substation

Thunk

MindLAB

Curator's notes

It gives me great privilege and honour to curate and programme this year’s PROJECT: slingSHORT. I received nearly 30 short films for consideration from all over the places. Some films were sent to me by Kristin Saw from The Substation, some were sent to me personally by the filmmakers themselves, and some I have personally acquired for it.

It is definitely not an easy decision to narrow down to the final 7 films, which will be proudly presented this year. The 2 main reasons for this difficult task to choose the films are, FIRST, the time frame/duration, which is about an hour for the entire screening. I wish I have more than just 60 minutes, so I may squeeze in 2-3 more very worthy films, 90 minutes maybe good, but I know it too well that it can be rather exhaustive for anyone to watch too many short films at one go.

And the SECOND reason which maybe the harder one, is that the submitted films are very diverse both in style and narrative. Most of them have strong stories, not to mention the improved quality in production value. Some films have to be watched again to “compete” for a place in the final selection. Most films are “sacrificed” because of either they are too lengthy or they have to give way for another film slightly more different in form.

It is also good to note that this year’s selection is all about the underground filmmakers in Singapore! Yes, the underdogs, the lesser known, the budding ones. BUT that does not mean they are less good. In fact, on the contrary, most of them create very impressive high quality works, which can be attesting from the films you are going to watch.

Just to say that there are some filmmakers in Singapore are just not quite into fame or limelight. They prefer to work quietly in their little corner, churning out meaningful and powerful works from time to time. It seems to me that it is more important for them to have their films seen, rather than their names heard. Therefore, it gives me a lot of delight to have this opportunity to showcase their films to a new group of audience that is beyond our own shore.

There will be 4 fiction films, 2 narrative-experimental and 1 documentary. The overall mood for this selection seems to incline more to melancholy. But there is also a slight touch of nostalgia and a tinted horror to expect too.

I hope the audience in London will enjoy this year’s selection and be very proud of the talents emerging from this (art-stifling)island country. Hence, gaining confidence for a future in Singapore Cinema.

My very BIG thank you to Singapore Creative Network, UK, for creating this event, thus, allowing another platform and opportunity for local filmmakers to “show-off” their talents and creativity. My thanks also especially goes to Brian Tan for his support and patience throughout. And thanks to Junfeng who is the previous curator, passing on the baton to me to curate this year’s programme. Kristin Saw from The Substation who has helped me so much by recommending and sending films to me. Last but not least, my deepest heartfelt thanks to all the filmmakers who submitted their films this year. All your works are appreciated and for some, I hope to programme them next year if given opportunity.

Finally, I can only say, enjoy the films!
Victric Thng.

Eva Tang

Eva Tang / Flat Dreams

Eva Tang has a late start in her film career. She saw her first art house film at the age of 20 while studying overseas at the University of Hong Kong. Half a decade later, she left her journalism career at Lianhe Zaobao to study filmmaking in the UK. A M.A. graduate of the prestigious National Film & Television School specializing in fiction direction, Eva's student shorts are in the official selection of major film festivals such as Venice, Rotterdam, Hawaii, National Gallery of Art (USA).
Her student film "While You Sleep" was the first short from a Singapore filmmaker selected by Venice Film Festival. Her graduation short "Londres - London" won the Akira Kurosawa Memorial Short Film Competition, Saga Prefecture Governor Award

Director's Statement:
Living in Singapore, its pettiness annoys me. It is a place where I see no space for dreams whenever I wake up & open my eyes. The film takes an ironic look at the confinement of spaces --- its flatness, homogeneity and the desperation to be useful in fear of emptiness.

Chai Yee-Wei

Chai Yee-Wei / Blood Ties

Although Yee-wei graduated with a business degree, his passion has always been in film art. He had taken film, TV and video courses in his college (University of Michigan) years and has always been exploring this interest part-time. But in mid 2005, he decided to go full-time into the media industry and has since been writing and directing short films extensively.

He had won a Merit Award at Panasonic MDA DFF 2005 (for Lau-Sai, Diarrhea) and Fly By Night 2005 Judges’ Pick (for Loser).

“Blood Ties” is his latest short that has won the 3rd prize for the 2nd Panasonic MDA Digital Film Fiesta, 2nd prize at the 2nd Rebel Planet of Hollywood Short Film Fest (Horror Category), and it is official selection for the 2007 Asian Film Symposium S-Express Showcase, The 2007 Singapore Season showcase in Beijing Film Academy, as well as the 3rd Evil City Film Fest of NYC 2007.

Yee-wei is now in preproduction and working on the script development for Blood Ties the feature film right now.

Director's Statement:
A feature version of the film is in the works in collaboration with Oak3 pictures. It should be completed and released by the end of 2008