If at any time I were to be given an ultimatum to have a film made given limited resources, time and in a totally unfamiliar setting, the first name to pop into mind to be in my corner, will definitely be Sherman Ong.

With three feature films already under his belt (Hashi, Flooding in the Time of Drought and now this), each of them is a testament to his tenacity and ingenuity in grabbing the bull by the horns, in digging deep and with tremendous innovation and creativity, come up with a work of art through various improvisational techniques that work like magic. You may be surprised or apprehensive about that approach, but with Sherman you’re in safe hands.

With Hashi, he crafted a tale with his actresses in a collaborative format and coxed believable performances from them, despite not speaking the language. He repeats that when venturing into Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, not being able to speak Swahili, but what’s to deter a determined man? Through friends of friends and yet another collaborative effort with his assembled ensemble cast, Sherman creates a feature film that sometimes look like a documentary, and blurs the lines between fictional, created elements, with that from the cast’s experiences and what unfolds before their very eyes during the production process.

A commissioned piece by the Rotterdam International Film Festival for their programme FORGET AFRICA (which you can read more about through this blog), we embark on a journey of discovery, and through the filmmaker’s lens (interesting to note that Sherman shot this using the video function of a still camera, in HD which looks gorgeous when projected digitally) get to see locales that would otherwise not be seen because somehow, Tanzania didn’t feature in our travel plans. A trained photographer, Sherman also doubles as the cinematographer, and captured enough beautiful landscapes through its contemplative narrative long takes.

At its core, the story centers on Smith (Smith Kimaro) who is looking for his mother’s grave, and he enlists the help of local tour guide Link (Link Reuben) to assist him. This of course meant a significant story time got devoted to being set in this quest, and the graveyards.

The narrative then expands to include a gravedigger Abdul (Abdul Khalfan Malaika) and Toatoa (Khalid Saleh Bilal) a metal scavenger whose story arc includes his silent sister with the red headscarf, and his girlfriend Miriam Emanuel, who just seems to be about the only one who managed to strike at her goal and got out of her predicament.

With characters perpetually stuck in a rut they’re struggling to get out of, the film steers clear of the conventional or cliched stereotypical poverty storylines, though maintaining a bleak outlook nonetheless. There was some fleeting talk on female circumcision that got snuck in during a female to female talk, and a brief moment on an exorcism being carried out by a witch-doctor of sorts, but my favourite scenes will have to be that of role playing during drama class, where we see actors and actress wannabes being put through the training paces.

Like how the film opened with a rambling man without subtitles available since he was probably speaking using his own created language, Sherman Ong, as his feature-length filmography demonstrates so far, may be onto something quite signature in the way he crafts films using his own terms. I missed this movie by a whisker when it premiered in Hong Kong last month, and my friend Wisekwai likes it, though another friend found it to be at the other end of the spectrum.

Perhaps it’s not about the destination but indeed about the journey taken to get to this point, and I felt that the end product is but a tip of the iceberg of what could have been percolating during the production process, which you can read from SINdie.

– A Nutshell Review

We’ve put together a few of the SIFF film highlights happening over the next few days here at Sinema.  One notable film you’d want to catch is Cameroon Love Letter, which will feature a live piano accompaniment by director Khavn De La Cruz!

Sanglaan (The Pawnshop) – PG

20 April, 7.00pm

The pawnshop is a vital part of Filipino life, so important that there are over 16,000 pawnshops in the Philippines.

An owner and her appraiser, the security guard, a seaman and a loan shark are among the characters we meet at Olivia’s Pawnshop, a small fledgling pawnshop in the heart of Tondo in Manila. This pawnshop is not only their place of refuge, but also a metaphor for their cherished hopes and dreams.

The producer, Gay Ace Domingo, will be on hand to conduct a Q & A session after the screening.

Unreal Forest – PG

21 April, 7.00pm

A documentary-style film which shows Zambian independent filmmakers working hard to finish a film under severe limitations in terms of filmmaking resources as well as their own cinematic expertise. They have to make this film from the story written by Thai filmmakers—a process set up by Dutch project initiators looking to discover new cinematic gems from Africa.

Through the process of the film-making, viewers are taken on a journey through the ancient folklores and Zambian filmmakers’ struggles, tracing back to the historical roots connecting Africa and Asia in a way never-before-imagined.

‘Unreal Forest’ is one in a series of 13 new films commissioned by the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and shot in Africa by Asian and Western directors working with local directors. This series, titled ‘Forget Africa’, is part of the 2010 IFFR’s ‘Where Is Africa’ programme curated by Gertjan Zuilhof.

The director, Jakrawal Nilthamrong, will be on hand to conduct a Q & A session after the screening.

Cameroon Love Letter (For Solo Piano) – M18

21 April, 9.15pm

Musical and experimental filmmaker Khavn noticed that Filipino filmmakers are highly regarded in Cameroon—thanks to a popular Filipino soap series. He was grateful to exploit this as he made his portrait of this country. And he also wrote some real ‘soap’ into his story.

‘Cameroon Love Letter (For Solo Piano)’ is one in a series of 13 films commissioned by the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and shot in Africa by Asian and Western directors working with local directors. This series, titled ‘Forget Africa’, is part of the 2010 IFFR’s ‘Where Is Africa’ programme curated by Gertjan Zuilhof.

The director, Khavn De La Cruz, will be at the screening to play the piano as a musical accompinent to the film.

Roulette City is an ambitious project, set to maximize its returns with the odds stacked up against it through its limited budget.

Like a calculated gambler, Thomas Lim spreads his wings over to Macau takes on multiple roles of producing, directing, writing and acting, diving right into his first film (of any sorts), and probably emerged a winner through the filmmaking experience gained from the school of hard knocks.

Like most first films, Roulette City came across with grand plans, and capitalized on its expected raw look and feel to mirror the kind of gritty tale that Lim aimed to tell.

Filmed in the Cantonese language, it is somewhat of a cautionary tale of sorts, reminding us (with those shiny new Integrated Resorts right at our doorstep) that there will always be stories that toot the trumpet of those who have gone up against the house to win, but there are always the heavier flip side of those who have walked away with tails between their legs, and head hung low. For every improbable millionaire made from the gambling table, there will be the probable family destroyed under the same circumstance.

Roulette City embraces these two aspects, and like the Roulette game where you can bet on even and odd, there’s plenty of duality found in the film, from characters and their intentions, to Tak (Thomas Lim) and his dalliance with two female friends Wynnie (Josephine Chai) his flame from China, and the easy going Armanda (Annie Loi), a croupier in Hong Kong who’s working to forge a brighter future for herself.

Yes it took a love story tangent when things started to go awry for the reluctant gambler Tak and his more enthusiastic and optimistically hopeful Uncle (Kiu Po-Chung), who have taken savings meant for the treatment of Tak’s ailing mum (Corinna Lee).

Since Lady Luck decided to smile and allowed them to make considerable amounts of cash from the underground casinos, only for the latter to be swindled, followed by a grave incident that had Tak and Wynnie wanting to leave Macau through whatever means possible, only to find that there are a number of hoops to jump through, starting with the befriending of Armanda and her border-patrol brother, from whom they think favours can be extended.

Unfortunately the narrative became somewhat non-linear with flashbacks later on putting back the missing jigsaw pieces, with a key revelation that plugs the holes in the narrative which will leave you bewildered for a while.

As the film is relatively compact at 75 minutes, the narrative also moved at breakneck speed that can feel choppy with its fast cuts and quick camera movements, which at times called for the sacrifice of a more detailed development of scenes.

Things happen as they do and you’re left to connect a few dots simultaneously, which of course takes its toil in making Tak’s whirlwind romance with Armanda seem believable, and especially how Armanda’s brother can flip flop with his trust issues. Some scenes didn’t compel you to endure for answers, and I thought they were there to provide more screen time as a showcase for the actors, since a feature can’t be a feature if the run time didn’t extend enough.

But to be honest it’s still a commendable effort to craft a story with its explicit alarms at reminding us there’s no short cut to the road of material wealth. Don’t be expecting the glitz and glamour associated with the many renowned casinos in Macau in this film, but rather a tale focused on the miserable, negative aspects of Man set in the edgy underground.

– A Nutshell Review

Sinema Old School is proud to be part of the Singapore International Film Festival 2010.  We’ve compiled a schedule of films that will be screening at Sinema from the 16th to 24th of April.

For more information on the films, visit the SIFF website.

Tickets can be purchased at any SISTIC outlet, as well as the SISTIC website.

FRIDAY 16 APRIL

7:00pm – Singapore Panorama Shorts (NC16)
9:15pm – Roulette City (PG)

SATURDAY 17 APRIL

11:30am – Singapore Short Film Competition: Finalists (M18)
2:00pm – 40-Ci Qapi (PG)
4:30pm – Second Moon (M18)
7:00pm – Santina (R21)
9:15pm –  Lessons of the Blood (PG)

SUNDAY 18 APRIL

12:00pm – Everlasting Moments (TBA)
2:00pm – Memories of a Burning Tree (PG) / Conversations on Sago Lane (PG)
4:30pm – Sex Volunteer (R21)
7:00pm – Stolen (PG)
9:15pm – Breaker Morant (PG)

MONDAY 19 APRIL

7:00pm – Neukölln Unlimited (PG)
9:15pm – Tom Gilroy: Mr. Sycamore (TBA) / Spring Forward (TBA)

TUESDAY 20 APRIL

7:00pm – Sanglaan “The Pawnshop” (PG)
9:15pm – Jessen U Mojoj Ulici “Autumn in my Street” (R21)

WEDNESDAY 21 APRIL

7:00pm – Unreal Forest (TBA)
9:15pm – Cameroon Love Letters (TBA)

THURSDAY 22 APRIL

7:00pm – German Shorts (R21)
9:15pm – Animation Shorts (PG)

FRIDAY 23 APRIL

7:00pm – Factory Shorts: Looking at Cambodia’s Garment Sector (PG)
9:15pm – L’important c’est de rester vivant “Survive: In the Heart of the Khmer Rouge Madness” (PG)

SATURDAY 24 APRIL

11:30am – Singapore Short Film Competition: Finalists (M18)
2:00pm – Window on your Present (M18)
4:30pm – P-Star Rising (PG)

Sinema is proud to announce that we are one of the venue partners of the 23rd edition of the Singapore International Film Festival (SIFF), which will take place from 15 to 24 April, 2010.

It will screen close to 200 films from over 36 countries.

Festival Highlights

Setting the tone of this year’s SIFF is the Opening Film, Mao’s Last Dancer from the Oscar - nominated Australian film director, Bruce Beresford, and is based on the autobiography by Li Cunxin. Li was plucked from a Chinese village by Madame Mao’s cultural delegates and taken to Beijing to study ballet.

He later managed to defect and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet, and then became the principal artist with the Australian Ballet. Both Bruce Beresford and lead actor Chi Cao will be in attendance at the Festival.

The Closing Film, Dear Doctor from Japanese director Miwa Nishikawa was nominated for Picture of the Year at the 33 Japanese Academy Awards, where it won awards for Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress. It is about a young medical intern assigned to work in a remote village, and soon he starts to learn things from the town doctor that he has never learned in medical school.

A secret then emerges about the town doctor and the village must come to grips with this new knowledge of the man they so admired.

Singapore Panorama

The Singapore Panorama section was first introduced in 2008 as a platform for new Singapore films.  This year Singapore Panorama will feature three feature films (Roulette City, In the House of Straw, and Memories of a Burning Tree), as well as three short films.

Silver Screen Awards

Having received over 70 submissions this year for the Singapore Short Film Competition, SIFF has selected seven finalists, who will be competing in the categories for Best Film, Best Director, Best Performance, Best Cinematography, and Special Mention.

It will culminate in the Silver Screen Awards and Gala Dinner on Apr 22, where the Festival will recognize the top films in the categories of Asian Feature Film Competition and the Singapore Short Film Competition.

Special Programmes

This year audiences can look forward to a wide selection of fresh and engaging films, as well as be exposed to three newly introduced segments.

First, the Dance: Movement in Film segment explores not only the performance but also the creative process of dance, and examines the impact that cinematic conventions and post-production have on the dancer’s performance for the camera.

The second segment takes a look at Women in Film and examines their work in the film industry. It explores the passions, dreams and aspirations of women from around the world, while considering the challenges they have faced in history and continue to face in contemporary society.

And last but not least is the New York Avant Cinema Series.  This film cycle of 22 works representing genres such as animation, documentary, fiction and silent experimental will screen Asian premieres of new films by some of New York’s most daring and dynamic contemporary filmmakers.

Ticketing

Tickets will go on sale later this month.  Stay tuned to Sinema.SG or visit filmfest.org.sg for more details!