2012 CSEAS Film Series: The Pleasure Factory
2007
Chinese [Thailand]

Wednesday, April 25, 2012 @ 6:30 PM
Korean Studies Auditorium

Director Ekachai Uekrongtham
Starring: Kuei-Mei Yang, Ananda Everingham, & Zihan Loo

The sophomore feature film from the Beautiful Boxer director, Pleasure Factory has an ensemble cast that includes Ananda Everingham and Taiwanese actress Yang Kuei-mei and a bunch of newcomers, many whom were recruited off the street. Sometimes mysterious, sometimes heartbreaking, the film follows three loosely intertwining storylines: A girl going to meet an older prostitute (Yang), and being followed by a mysterious young man (Ananda); a guy taking his virgin army buddy around to the brothels; and a woman in a red dress buying a song from a busker. Lit by Brian Gothon Tan, Geylang never looked so good. [Synopsis by Wise Kwai]

Print PDF

2012 CSEAS Film Series: The Leap Years
2008
English

Wednesday, April 4, 2012 @ 6:30 PM
Korean Studies Auditorium

Director Jean Yeo
Starring: Wong Lilin, Ananda Everingham, Qi Yuwu, & Joan Chen

Li-Ann, a single and attractive teacher in a Singaporean girl’s school teaches her students about an obscure leap year custom practiced in Ireland, where men cannot refuse a proposal or date from a woman should she do so on February 29; she chances upon Jeremy at Windows Cafe who becomes a major part of her life.

Print PDF

Amateur Takes Control is an instrumental rock band from Singapore. Originally a solo project of guitarist Adel, ATC became a full band in December 2006, now including Jem (guitar/keys), Isa (bass) and Syadie (drums). Their music is undeniably diverse in style and influence, yet still manages to showcase a seamlessness that justifies their identity as a band.

Belying their age and experience, the band is proud to have self-released an eponymous EP as well as a single entitled “Built on Miles of Hope”. In October 2008 the band realised their dream of releasing their debut full length album “You, Me and The Things Unsaid” on KittyWu Records. -last.fm

MySpace | Last.fm | KittyWu Records | LiveJournal | Tumblr | Twitter

Print PDF

Homecoming
Singapore, 2011 (93 min)
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Director: Lee Thean-Jeen
Cast: Mark Lee, Jack Neo, Karen Neo, Afdlin Shauki, Ah-Niu, Rebecca Lim, Huang Wen Hong

Simple bliss and family harmony is essentially what every local Chinese hopes to experience over the Lunar New Year and Director Lee Thean-Jeen offers just that in this light-hearted comedy. HOMECOMING is a series of stories about family and what it means to go home. The characters in these stories come from a diverse range of generations, races, and social backgrounds and are linked through blood, friendship, and geography. This Singapore-Malaysia team effort stars Mark Lee as a demanding chef who cannot wield the same control over his daughter. Rebecca Lim plays a woman who is about to meet her in-laws from hell. Jack Neo cross-dresses again in the role of Karen Neo, while Ah Niu plays her son, who goes on a hilarious journey across the Causeway for their yearly reunion dinner. Kung hee fat choy!

Distributed by InnoForm Media Pte Ltd. [ enquiry@innoform.com.sg]

Print PDF

The plan was simple. Get two guitars, a bass, a keyboard and a drumset. And rock. Five different people. One common goal: To change the face of Singapore music.

Drawing influences from bands like Ash, The Killers, Mansun, Radiohead, Kent, Suede and Interpol, The Great Spy Experiment create music that is described as ‘a champagne-fuelled cocktail of powerpop, indie, rock and dance’. As much guitar-led as it is beat-driven, with indie riffs juxtaposing irresistable pop hooks and dance textures overlaying dance-able rock-grooves, the music is created with the dancefloor in mind and the bedroom at heart. In just over three years, the band has gone from virtual unknowns to being touted as the nation’s indie darlings, on the back of incessant gigging and electrifying live performances, featuring in internationally renowned events such as the Baybeats, Singfest, Mosaic and ZoukOut festivals. In March 2007, the band travelled to the USA where they tore the stages at the South-by-Southwest Festival in Austin, as the first Singaporean representatives in the 21-year old event, as well as the San Antonio Indie Fest. In April 2007, the band travelled to the USA again, this time to perform at Singapore Day at New York’s Central Park. The Great Spy Experiment’s debut full-length album ‘Flower Show Riots’ was released in September 2007. -Last.fm

Facebook | MySpace | Last.fm | Reverb Nation | Interview

Print PDF

Momo Makarim also known as Momo Latif (born 1921) came from Singapore and was a Malay singer / film actor of the 30′s to 70′s who often hummed the songs on the radio in Malaysia and Singapore. She also acted in many contemporary films with P. Romlee at a later age. She was awarded the Star medal winner of the Governor of Sarawak, Sarawak, the Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng, at a ceremony in conjunction with the 86th Anniversary of the State President in Mukah on 8 September 2007. -taken from Wikipeida

Film Credits
Topeng Syaitan (Filem pertamanya) (1939), Buluh Perindu (1953), Pendekar Bujang Lapok, Mat Lanon, Mat Toyol, Si Tanggang (1961)

Music Credits
Merpati Dua Sejoli (Momo Latif & P. Ramlee), Tudung Periuk, Semenjak Berpisah (Momo Latif & P. Ramlee), Tak Jemu Menunggu, Jangan Main Mata, Kita Bersumpah (Momo Latif & Aziz Satar), Siti Zawiyah (S.M. Al Idrus & Momo Latif),
Berdendang Ria (P. Ramlee, Momo Latif & Lena Abdullah), Tinggal Kenangan, Takut Dimadu (Momo Latif & Jasni), Rayuan Mandolin, Saat Bahagia, Taat Setia, Tari Selendang (Momo Latif & Jasni), Gemala Hati.

Print PDF

31st Hawaii International Film Festival
Various Venues across Honolulu, HI
13 – 23 October 2011

Established in 1981, Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) is dedicated to the advancement of understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America through the medium of film. The Center for Southeast Asian Studies is proud to sponsor the following films at the 31st HIFF:

THE GAME KISS
Part of SHORTS PROGRAM #2
Dir. Paul Agusta
Indonesia 2011
9:15 PM | Saturday, October 15 | Dole Cannery E

BUSONG
Dir. Auraeus Solito 2011
Philippines 2011
8:00 PM | Monday, October 17 | Dole Cannery F
1:00 PM | Tuesday, October 18 | Dole Cannery B

LIVING IN SEDUCED CIRCUMSTANCES
Dir. Ian Gamazon 2011
United States/Vietnam 2011
8:45 PM | Tuesday, October 18 | Dole Cannery C

THE DANCE OF TWO LEFT FEET (ANG SAYAW NG DALAWANG KALIWANG PAA)
Dir. Alvin Yapan
Philippines 2011
6:00 PM | Saturday, October 15 | Dole Cannery D
4:30 PM | Monday, October 17 | Dole Cannery E

RAKENROL
Dir. Quark Henares
Philippines 2011
6:15 PM | Saturday, October 15 | Dole Cannery E

STAR-CROSSED LOVE
Dir. Erick Salud
Philippines 2011
9:30 PM | Friday, October 21 | Dole Cannery E
8:15 PM | Sunday, October 23 | Dole Cannery E

THELMA
Dir. Paul Soriano
Philippines 2011
2:45 PM | Saturday, October 15 | Dole Cannery B

THE WOMAN IN THE SEPTIC TANK
(ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK )
Dir. Marlon Rivera
Philippines 2011
5:00 PM | Thursday, October 20 | Dole Cannery E

BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
Dir. Kaz Cai, Wang Jing, Anocha Suwichakornpong
Singapore 2011
3:30 PM | Wednesday, October 19 | Dole Cannery C
11:30 AM | Saturday, October 22 | Dole Cannery A

ETERNITY
Dir. Sivaroj Kongsakul
Thailand 2010
1:00 PM | Sunday, October 16 | Dole Cannery C
3:30 PM | Tuesday, October 18 | Dole Cannery F

SAIGON ELECTRIC
Dir. Stephane Gauger
United States, Viet Nam 2011
4:30 PM | Saturday, October 22 | Dole Cannery A

Print PDF

Muhammad Taufik Bin Batisah (Jawi: مهمد تيوفيك بن بتيسه) is the winner of the first season of the reality TV series Singapore Idol. He is a Singaporean of mixed Bugis and Indian descent. Taufik first started out as a singer in a local group called Bonafide playing a mixture of hip-hop and R&B with fellow rapper, Mark Bonafide.

He participated in the first season of the reality TV series Singapore Idol in 2004. On 1 December 2004, Taufik was crowned the Singapore Idol at the Singapore Indoor Stadium before an audience of more than 8,000 fans and 1.8 million viewers across the country. He scored a recording deal with Sony BMG and a management deal under Hype Records’ artiste management arm, ArtisteNetworks. It was later revealed that Taufik had won 682,000 of the 1.1 million votes cast that night, while his opponent Sylvester Sim managed 418,000 votes.

After his win, Taufik clinched a string of endorsements for brands such as Harmuni Rice, Samsung, 7-Eleven stores and HSC drinks. He even became the first Singapore artiste to endorse for the Swiss watch-maker, Swatch. He received further recognition at the Anugerah Planet Muzik 07. As well as being voted the Most Popular Singapore Artiste, his single Usah Lepaskan (Don’t Let Go) won the awards for being the Most Popular Singapore Song and the Best Singapore Song. Usah Lepaskan was the Number 1 Song of the Year on Ria 89.7FM.

In 2007, Taufik debuted his Malaysian album titled, Teman Istimewa (Special Friend) on 5 September and was the album long-awaited by the Malaysian Fiknatics (as his fans are called). Taufik produced 90% of this album and three songs are the Malay version of his earlier English songs First, Holding On and I Promise Forever. Seribu Tahun (A Thousand Years), a song which he co-wrote, swept the Malaysian radio charts after it became the theme song for Malaysia’s Channel TV3 hit drama series, Kerana Cintaku Saerah (Because Of My Love Saerah).

It had been an exuberant start for Taufik in 2010. Besides fronting the finale performance at the Chingay Parade 2010 and performing for the second consecutive time under the invitation of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea and Singapore’s NAC, he continued to earn recognition for his music. He earned the top honor roll of six major awards at the first AnugeraHitz.sg Awards, which honored the best in the local Malay music industry. 2010 also saw Taufik diversifying his art and making his theatrical debut in Dick Lee’s Fried Rice Paradise – The Musical. -taken from Wikipedia.

Print PDF

Sunday, May 15 at 11:00 AM
The Doris Duke Theater
Playing with: WE WERE HERE & WE ONCE WERE TIDE

Ticket Information

The 9-minute long production is about a comic-crazy boy who befriends an Indian convenience store owner, traditionally called a “mama” shop owner, and ends up having his own superhero-inspired adventure. The film, which cost a solid $14,000 to make, gave Director Kam a good amount of grief.

“I had to shoot the film twice. The first filming was too rushed, and the mama shop owner didn’t really understand his part, “ he said, at a screening of his film at Ngee Ann Polytechnic on May 5.

Here’s a shocker for you – the Singaporean-made film has clear homosexual elements. It even qualified for the Teddy Awards, a film competition catering specifically to queer cinema.

The Indian mama shop owner is discernibly effeminate in his acting – something that was planned all along by Kam. “The film is based largely on my childhood experiences,” he explains. “I had a few homosexual friends when I was growing up, so that queer element makes the film more authentic.”

Kam had previously completed 3 short films. His first short film, Twilight Rose, was also screened at several film festivals internationally.

What can we expect from this filmmaker in the near future? “I’ve just applied for a grant from the Singapore Film Commission for another short film,” he said. “I’m not going to reveal its content to you, though, I normally wait for it to be finished.”

Giving some valuable tips on getting into international film festivals, Kam listed out a number of qualities that a budding filmmaker needs to strike it big.

“Aspiring filmmakers who are starting out need to develop a good sense of storytelling, find a pool of talented people to collaborate with, and have the perseverance to keep practising to make better and better films,” he said. “Berlin and other A-list festivals are not easy to get into. While there are some 6,000 shorts that are submitted for consideration, only some 200 plus short films get screened there.”

“Rejections are part and parcel of the process of filmmaking. But with passion, perseverance and some luck, filmmakers can create short films with compelling story ideas that are well told. Then, doors will open and film festivals will beckon.” (from theurbanwire.com)

IMDB | Moviefone | Rainbow Film Festival | Sinema.sg Review

Print PDF