SINGAPORE – 04 OCT 2022
A comedy drama that follows a middle-aged widow’s obsession with Korean pop culture and her journey to self-discovery, Ajoomma, has been selected by the Singapore Film Commission as the nation’s entry to the 95th Academy Awards (Oscars) in 2023, in the Best International Film category.
Ajoomma is the feature directorial debut of Singaporean filmmaker He Shuming, and is produced by Anthony Chen, the Golden Horse and Cannes Film Festival award-winner for Ilo Ilo (Singapore’s entry to the 86th Academy Awards in 2014). The film is making its World Premiere at the 27th Busan International Film Festival under New Currents, the main competition section of the festival. International sales for Ajoomma Is handled by sales company Rediance.
The first-ever Singapore-South Korea co-production is supported by Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)’s New Director grant.
The film has also received 4 nominations at the upcoming 59th Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan which is scheduled to take place on 19 November. This includes Best New Director and Best Original Screenplay, as well as Best Leading Actress for veteran Singaporean actress Hong Huifang, and Best Supporting Actor for Korean actor Jung Dong-hwan.
The highly anticipated film will be released in cinemas in Singapore on 27 October 2022, through Golden Village Pictures.
Mr Justin Ang, Assistant Chief Executive of Media, Innovation, Communications and Marketing, IMDA, said, “Over the years, IMDA has worked with stakeholders of the media industry to develop a support system for filmmakers and Singapore media companies to nurture a growing local pool of storytellers with the capability to produce quality international content. The selection of our first-ever Singapore-South Korea co-production, Ajoomma, as Singapore’s entry for Oscars 2023 is testament that collectively, we have raised the bar on storytelling and production values. We are truly proud of our dedicated and passionate homegrown talent and hope to hear good news in March 2023.”
Producer, Mr Anthony Chen added, “After Ilo Ilo, Pop Aye and Wet Season, Giraffe Pictures is honoured to fly the flag again as Singapore’s Oscar contender with He Shuming’s charming debut Ajoomma. We are just at the start of the film’s journey and look forward to bring laughs and tears to audiences far and beyond our shores. This is definitely the Singapore film of the year to watch!”
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