Dated: 9 May 2006
Singapore’s multi-faceted and multi-cultural tapestry of filmmaking, will be showcased through a special selection at the Tous les Cinémas du Monde (“All the Cinemas of the World”) event- a recognition of the growing influence of Singapore’s nascent but dynamic film industry.
Film professionals and enthusiasts at the Cannes Film Festival will be treated to a wide array of Made-by-Singapore films at Tous les Cinémas du Monde this year. Singapore, the only Asian country, has been selected to be one of the presenting countries along with Russia, Israel, Switzerland, Venezuela, Tunisia and Chile.
Launched in 2005, Tous les Cinémas du Monde at the Cannes Film Festival is dedicated to the presentation by selected countries to illustrate the cultural diversity of world cinema. As the only Asian representative, Singapore will be showcasing a crop of films that draws inspiration from her unique cultural and ethnic diversity and global cosmopolitan exposure.
Singapore will screen four feature films and eight short films on a single day during the week-long Tous les Cinémas du Monde, ending the day’s programme with a gala party to bring together the filmmakers and professionals. The feature films are I Not Stupid Too (Jack Neo), Perth (Djinn Ong), Smell of Rain (Gloria Chee) and One Last Dance (Max Makowski). Birthday (Bertrand Lee), 9:30 (Yong Mun Chee), Crocodile Journals (Yeo Lee Nah), Blackboard Whiteshoes (Green Zeng and June Chua), G23 (Anthony Chen), Monkey Love (Royston Tan), Sons (Royston Tan) and Secret Heaven (Sun Koh) make up the list of short films. Selected by the festival organisers, these films epitomise Singapore’s unique culture and eclectic mix of East and West, and celebrate the passion, creativity and talent of local filmmakers.
“We are honoured to be invited to showcase Made-by-Singapore content to the world at Tous les Cinémas du Monde. The event gives us a valuable opportunity to present the dynamism and diversity of our films. Although our film industry is relatively nascent, some of the Singapore-made films have already travelled the global film festival circuits and picked up international accolades. Singapore is an exhilarating place to be in now”, said Mr Man Shu Sum, Director, Singapore Film Commission. “That we have been selected for such a prestigious event is another testament to the increasing awareness and demand for Singapore productions”.
Local filmmakers such as Jack Neo (I Not Stupid Too), Gloria Chee (Smell of Rain) and Anthony Chen (G23) are amongst the nine Singapore Directors who will be at the event with the Singapore Film Commission. They will be among 80 peers from all seven featured countries to present their creations at Tous les Cinémas du Monde.
Added Mr Man: “Our filmmakers will greatly benefit from this ‘Cannes experience’ where they can interact and learn from international film professionals attending the festival. The charm of Singapore cinematography lies in its content and the ability of our filmmakers to tell compelling stories with their multi-racial background, cosmopolitan outlook and the robust cultural mix of our country. This experience at Cannes will definitely enrich their craft and provide the necessary exposure to such an important international film fraternity.”
Tous les Cinémas du Monde was inaugurated by the Festival de Cannes in 2005 to illustrate the richness and diversity of cinematographic creations around the world. Invited countries present a selection of films that brings to life its spirit of cinematography and reflects its cultural identity. They also showcase the zest of its young creative talent and the commitment of its institutions in promoting the film industry. To be held from 20 to 26 May as part of the main film festival this year, it will be attended by film professionals at the Festival de Cannes. The films will be screened at the 175-seater theatre “Le Cinéma du Monde” in the heart of Village International-Pantiero.
Please refer to Annex for the list of films and synopses.
For more information, please contact:
Ms Casey Chang
Assistant Director
Marketing Communications
Tel: (65) 6837 9344
Email: casey_chang@imda.gov.sg
Ms Tessa Monteiro
Manager
Communications
Tel: (65) 6837 9757
Email: tessa_mae_monteiro@imda.gov.sg
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