A look at Singapore through the eyes of local filmmakers. The Rewind/Remind project, which began in 23 May 2015, has been showing Singaporeans just that, with a series of short films that showcase snippets of life in Singapore. It was initiated as part of the country’s SG50 celebrations. The film festival runs until 25 July 2015 and is presented in collaboration with the National Library Board.
Already the festival has been a hit, with all screenings until the end of the festival, except for one, being fully booked. I was lucky enough to get tickets to the 14th June screening at Tampines Regional Library, which featured four films. These were The Violin by Robot Playground Media, Old Friends by Chuan Pictures, Centerpoint Kidz by Bobbing Buoy Films, and The Studio by Sun Koh. And yes, Chuan Pictures does refer to Roystan Tan and his team. Old Friends is the third in a trilogy which includes Old Places and Old Romances.
Films screened during the project but not included in that session were Kway Chap by Sun Koh and Autograph Book by Bobbing Buoy Films.
Out of the four I watched, The Studio caught my eye with its experimental feel. Presented as a series of fragmented videos and photographs stitched together, it would have been hard to understand if not for the well-written narration. The film included moments of exaggerated suspense and horror, especially when the protagonist confronted her memories, forcing the audience to think about the way we confront our own memories.
Old Friends was the longest film of the four, and one that would appeal to any Singaporean. The entire film consisted of people introducing a food haunt they frequented, be it prata, png kueh, tutu kueh, putu piring, duck rice, Indian rojak or bak kwa. Needless to say, I left with a list of places I’ll have to visit sometime.
The Violin was a beautiful animation showing the history of Singapore. Unique in having a violin at its center, the film transitioned smoothly through the key events in Singapore’s past in a way that our history lessons could never capture. The animation itself, especially of the sunset scenes, was impressive.
Centerpoint Kidz was my least favourite of the lot, not because it was bad, but because the subject matter was a mid-1980s phenomenon that I could not relate to. In fact, I didn’t even know about the Centerpoint Kids until I saw the film. That said, it was still an interesting peek into a culture, forgotten, but still very much a part of Singapore. And I do wonder where these Centerpoint Kids are now.
For those interested in the Rewind/Remind film festival, you can register through GoLibrary by the National Library Board. The last of the open screenings will be held on 4th July 2015 at the Woodlands Regional Library. All film screenings are free.
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