Solos goes to AFI Film Fest2 min read
Reading Time: 2 minutesSingapore film Solos will be having its premiere in the US tomorrow at the American Film Institute Film Festival at the ArcLight Theatre in Los Angeles. It will be the first Singaporean film invited to screen at the AFI festival, where it will compete in the International Feature Competition.
Solos is directed jointly by Kan Lume and Loo Zihan, who also starred in the film alongside veteran Singaporean actor Lim Yu-Beng and Goh Guat Kian. Inspired by true events surrounding an illicit student-teacher relationship, Solos is a film without dialogue, relying heavily on visual imagery and sound-design to convey the story.
“We are very excited that Solos is the first Singapore film ever to be accepted at AFI Fest and we believe its story of love has the potential to garner attention from local and international audiences,” said Florence Ang, producer. “What makes it more special is the cast and directors were all Singaporean and we were such a small team working on the film with most times just the two directors on set with the actors. It is a very honest but modest film — a labour of love by all involved,” Ang added.
With regards to Solos being selected for AFI Fest, producer Gerald Herman said “I think they recognized that Solos is a very a brave film. Brave for two young filmmakers to attempt a realistic and non-judgmental portrayal of an inter-generational gay relationship. And brave to make the film in Singapore, where even normal homosexuality is generally condemned, and not entirely legal.”
Solos has not had a screening in Singapore yet due to local censors requesting for three cuts despite an R21 rating when it was scheduled to screen at the Singapore International Film Festival in April earlier this year. The producers and the film festival organizers jointly decided to withdraw the film, to preserve the principle that films at the festival should be shown uncut.
Now celebrating its 21st anniversary, AFI Fest is the longest-running film festival in Los Angeles and the only film festival in the United States accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Association (FIAPF). It will start tomorrow and span a total of ten days up till 10 November 2007, and is presented in conjunction with main sponsor, Audi.
