The Substation Screens Audience Favourite Films Again10 min read
Reading Time: 8 minutesFor this special screening, The Substation presents the audience favourites of each month, and a final vote is to be cast for the Top Favourite of First Take 2010.
First Take takes place at The Substation every 1st Monday of the month and is part of The Substation’s Moving Images programme.
The Substation Moving Images Presents :
BEST of First Take 2010
Sunday 12 December, 5pm.
The Substation Theatre
Admission is FREE. Donations (any amount) welcomed.
PROGRAMME OF FILMS
SESSION 1 ““ 5.00PM ““ 6.30PM (87 minutes)
1. SINGAPORE SATIRE | Joshua Ng and Faridah Saad | 18 minutes | 2009 | NC16
In the land oft-called the “soft authoritarian state”, and which is most famous for silencing direct opponents and banning the Far Eastern Economic Review, do people have a voice?
Enter Singapore Satire, the documentary that analyses this critique-mechanism which existed alongside Greco-Roman democracy, in Renaissance Singapore. It is a seminal collection and analysis of the various brands of satire which Singaporeans so identify themselves with so much.
Directors bio:
Joshua Ng is a Temasek Polytechnic graduate of Communications & Media Management. His six-month internship at MTV Asia and Nickelodeon Asia saw him experienced in video production, acting and presenting in the wicked world of spotlights and upside down hours. SINGAPORE SATIRE is the culmination of his mass communications training and his liberal arts education at NUS.
2. My Underwear My World | Danny Lim | 16 minutes | 2009 | PG
10-year-old Jiale escapes to a fantasy world to fulfill his longing for his lost mother. His father, also struggling with the loss, awkwardly tries to play a more maternal role but is frustrated with his reclusive son. A confrontation and a clumsy accident cause the father and son to view each other in a new light and form a stronger bond than ever.
Directors bio:
Danny Lim having been intensively making films and being involved in filmmaking for the past two years, has worked on many different types of projects including short films, TVCs, music videos and documentaries, gaining recognition at various competitions.
Danny loves to explore society and culture, then sharing it through his films. One of his achievements was a documentary in the heights of China, Tibet and the conservation of the Tibetan Mastiffs.
3. Happy Place | Jeevan Nathan | 10 minutes | 2008 | PG
HAPPY PLACE is a dark whimsical tale about hope, love, loss and acceptance. It is a story of a brother, Daniel, trying to save his dying sister, (Victoria) from the “evil”. Using drawings and imagination, Daniel takes her away from the “bad house” and into”¦ the happy place.
~~~ Previous Screenings ~~~
Official Selection, Vancouver Singapore Film Festival 2010
Official Selection, Melbourne Singapore Film Festival 2010
Official Selection, Singapore Short Film Awards 2010
Official Selection, Sinema Showoff! Masala Mix (Season 2010)
Directors Bio:
Jeevan studied filmmaking in Ngee Ann Polytechnic and later furthered his education at the prestigious New York Film Academy in California. He has been working in Singapore since 2003 on various projects for television and corporate organizations. In 2005, he started his own production company to embark on creative projects he could call his own. Jeevan’s latest production on television is Tina’s Catering (drama) which recently aired on Mediacorp’s Suria channel.
Happy Place is his first official short film.
4. My Father SazaliI | Sazali Masraji | 17 minutes | 2008 | PG
My Father Sazali depicts a barber’s unfulfilled aspirations and his quest in preventing his son from following in his footsteps. Ironically, the father’s failure in achieving his dream serves as a symbol of motivation for the son in pursuing his own ambition, much to the dismay of the father.
~~~ Previous Screenings ~~~
Official Selection, Sinema Showoff! The Balik Kampung Collection 2 (Season 2010)
Directors Bio:
Sazali worked as a freelance camera operator for six years for various production and event companies. he also taught Malay drama part-time for two years in Secondary schools before joining the Prison School as a support officer.
Sazali now works as a multimedia officer in Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) producing corporate videos.
My Father Sazali is Sazali’s first official short film that he wrote and directed.
Sazali holds a Diploma in Film, Sound & Video from Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
5. Lights Out | Wang Eng Eng | 26 minutes | 2009 | PG
When the lights go out in Singapore, these men make their way out onto the streets to sleep. Lights Out documents the lives and struggles of 3 migrant workers as they live on the streets and shelters of Singapore waiting for a solution to their problems.
Like many others, they came full of hope, but in turn found themselves caught in bureaucratic loop holes and broken promises made by illegal labour agents. They end up with no work and living for months on the streets. With no money and nowhere to go, they wait for their turn to return home.
Directors Bio:
Wang Eng Eng is a graduate from the National University of Singapore. She is currently working full time at a local TV station, and enjoys the exploration of social issues on a day-to-day basis. Eng Eng had previously produced and worked on I Love Malaya, Brother No. 2 and The Trouble With Waiting. She hopes to work on a documentary feature someday.
SESSION 2 ““ 7.30PM ““ 9.00PM (83 minutes)
1. Checkmate | Mohd Yasshir | 11 minutes | 2010 | PG
An 11-year-old boy (Surya) meets a solitary old man (Panneeir) playing chess and joins him without an invitation. As they continue to play on, their conversation takes a more intimate turn and the old man realizes that although his past was unfortunate, there is still hope for the future.
Produced for the Emerging Filmmaker Programme, Panasonic Digital Film Fiesta (DFF) 2010.
CHECKMATE bagged four (4) Awards: Best Film, Best Promising Director,Best Cinematography,Audience Favourite Film at the mentorship programme.
Director’s Bio:
Yasshir recently won the Project Pitching & Development with Ashok (Project PDA) supported by the Media Development Authority (MDA) and produced by MediaCorp Pte Ltd.
2. For Rent | Goh Moy Yen | 19 minutes | 2009 | PG
Many Singaporeans take home ownership for granted, living comfortably in their Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat. Within their well-developed housing estates, they do not notice their lesser counterparts who rent subsidized one/two room flats from the government. For these small living spaces, some struggle to pay the seemingly measly monthly rental fees.
For Rent attempts to paint a clearer picture of the challenges that this forgotten community face, and sheds light on underlying social issues that a common Singaporean tends to neglect.
Director’s Bio:
Moy Yen has had experience directing since her secondary school days, when she was an active member of the Drama Society. In university, she co-wrote and directed In Your Shoes, an annual arts production by Nanyang Technological University’s Hall of Residence 7 in 2008, and then moved on to produce 72 Hours in 2009.
A keen interest in production led her to source an internship with local production house, Threesixzero Productions, in early 2005, gaining experience as a Production Assistant for various documentaries.
3. Brown Sugar | Chong Neng Jie Jonathan | 14min | 2009 | PG
Without Daniel, Kaelyn feels that she has become a shadow, waiting to fade with each and every sunrise. Without Daniel, her hands shiver and her thoughts still to a deafening silence. She would wait, but for how long?
Decidedly, this is not a story about overcoming odds. This is a story about closure. The poem to be finished is not about loss, not entirely, but it is about one thing that Kaelyn and Daniel believed in: Love.
Director’s Bio:
Jonathan Chong graduated from Temasek Polytechnic in 2006 with a Diploma in Interactive Media Design, majoring in video production. Specializing in directing, and directing of photography, he has four short films under his belt, the second of which was screened at the Substation for the 6th Young Guns Film Festival.
Jonathan Chong has joined various production houses as a freelancer, such as Zhao Wei Film, Oak 3 Films and AXN. He is currently pursuing the Arts, Design and Media in Digital Filmmaking course, to be completed in 2012.
~~~ Previous Screenings ~~~
Official Selection, Singapore Short Film Award 2010
Official Selection, Sinema Showoff! Shorts Screening 2009
4. Brazil | Philothea Liau | 2009 | 5min | PG
Meng buys the most sought after “˜Brazil’ eraser from a bookshop during recess. Unfortunately, two bullies rob him of his remaining cash. Desperate to save himself from hunger, he sells the eraser for a sum. As soon as he succeeds, his discipline master appears, leaving him to suffer a painful lesson.
Director’s Bio:
Philothea has been an active member of the media industry since 2007. She has worked on various television dramas, short and feature films, corporate videos and commercials. She enjoys working with and directing children.
Philothea is a recipient of the Media Development Authority scholarship, and is currently pursuing a bachelor of fine arts degree at the Nanyang Technological University’s School of Arts, Design and Media.
~~~ Previous Screening ~~~
Official Selection, Singapore Short Film Awards 2010
5. Riding East | Melissa Foo | 19 minutes | 2010 | NC16
Tim and Beng are two different people, from different backgrounds, connected only because of Zoe, who is Timothy’s baby sister, and Beng’s girlfriend.
When Timothy discovers something incredulous belonging to Zoe, he pulls Beng out and forces him to get Zoe, in order to get to the bottom of things. This sparks a series of adventures and misadventures, as the two men are forced to work together to get to the person they love.
Director’s Bio:
Melissa has had an affair with drama at a young age. Her love for drama and a good story has spun off into film, propelling her to participate and win the first prize at The Substation’s Reel Revolutions mentorship programme and competition in 2008.
Melissa also produced and directed three short info-education clips during her internship with Mega Media. She recently graduated from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at the Nanyang Technological University.
6. Impian Si Mamat (Mamat’s Aspiration) | Zilkifli Salleh | 15 minutes | 2008 | PG
Impian Si Mamat is a story about a young boy’s undying aspiration to be a professional photographer and his inspiring adventures in achieving his dreams.
The story revolves around his dad’s sacrifices to support his aspirations and Mamat’s unconventional journey of pursuing his dreams beyond ordinary means as well as realising his responsibility as a son.
Director’s Bio:
Zulkifli Salleh is an aspiring filmmaker who creates moving images that tellmeaningful lessons in life. Having a design background with a passion in video and photography, he graduated as the top student in his course with a Diploma with Merit in Moving Images from Temasek Polytechnic Design School.
Zulkifli’s graduating short film project, Impian Si Mamat was awarded the Panasonic Asia Pacific Special Industry Prize for the Most Outstanding High Definition Production.
~~~ Festivals ~~~
Official Selection, Malay Arts Festival at Malay Heritage Center 2009
About First Take
First Take takes place at The Substation every 1st Monday of the month and is part of The Substation’s Moving Images programme.
The programme, funded by Singapore Film Commission (SFC), has been responsible for numerous premieres of local short films in Singapore.
The staff from The Substationwill assist to get the film rated for public viewing. Once rated, these films can also be shown at other public venues in Singapore.
First Take receives submissions all-year round.
About The Substation
Founded in 1990 by the late Kuo Pao Kun, The Substation is Singapore’s first independent contemporary arts centre.
It presents and co-presents a wide range of artists and programmes, and has worked with some of Singapore’s most critically acclaimed artists and writers.
The Substation’s mission is to support research and innovation in the arts by:
Nurturing and challenging Singapore artists
Providing an open space for artistic experimentation
Promoting interaction between diverse artists and audiences
Facilitating critical dialogue in the arts
Fostering regional and international arts networks
About the Venue
:: The Substation – A home for the Arts ::
The Substation, located within the Arts & Civic District, is Singapore’s first independent contemporary arts centre and venue.
The site of The Substation, as its name suggests, was previously a power sub-station. The building dates from 1926. In 1950 the Public Utilities Board (PUB) added a garden to house outdoor equipment. The original sub-station ended its operations in the late 1970s.
Official Website: www.substation.org.
How To Get There || The Substation
:: Buses ::
7, 14, 16, 36, 97, 124, 131, 147, 162, 166, 174, 501 Express,
511 Express, 77, 167, 171, 190, 700, 700A and 857
Opposite Singapore Management University, in front of Armenian Church or in front of Stamford Court.
:: Nearest MRT Station ::
Alight at City Hall
For pedestrians, please walk alongside Stamford Road towards Armenian Street via Coleman Street. You will see Fire Station opposite the back of Funan Shopping mall. Keep walking ahead and pass the Bible House. You will see the Peranakan Museum. The Substation is located beside the Peranakan Museum.
:: Circle Line ::
Alight at Bras Basah MRT
