Indie Film Hunting: Frame x Frame
PUBLISHED November 5th, 2012 12:33 am | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 02:46 pm
It is easy to feel that there is a dearth of film choices available here when the movie theatres mostly offer blockbuster after blockbuster. It is especially frustrating to see the same blockbuster still screening after months while the less mainstream – often no less enjoyable – ones slip away quietly off the screens without their deserved run.
Thankfully, there are other ways to get a variety of cinematic experiences. There are the foreign film festivals that come from countries such as Japan, Italy, Germany, Taiwan and even Israel. Demand obviously supersedes supply, with many of the screenings selling out, some weeks before the festival start.
Better still, we have a few venues that support both the indie and foreign film scenes, and they even screen non-ticketed, free films regularly. All we need to do is to show them the love and support they deserve, especially towards our own homegrown filmmakers. After all, who can tell the stories of Singapore in moving images better than them?
One venue is The Arts House, which has just launched a new initiate showcasing and exploring the different dimensions of Singapore cinema. Frame x Frame features debut screenings of upcoming local films, as well as retrospectives of noted filmmakers in the likes of Elizabeith Wijaya and Yong Mun Chee.
Frame x Frame kicked off this season with the spotlight on Wee Li Lin, a local filmmaker noted for her talent and originality in writing and directing. The screenings of her two feature films in The Screening Room were cosy and personable sold-out affairs, where one felt like the cinematic experience was shared with a huge bunch of friends.
Both of Wee Li Lin’s films, Forever and Gone Shopping, are wry satirical dramas that poke fun at the Singaporean dreams and pastimes that left the audience in giggles and full-out chuckles.
The post-screening discussions with the director and film actors were particularly enjoyable, where conversation could flow comfortably and offer interesting insights into the film production and conceptualization process. After all, how many of us really know the amount of work, and the number of hours it takes behind the scenes to create a film? Appreciating a film takes on new dimensions when you learn about the process of materializing an idea onto the screen.
For those who missed it, don’t fret – we bring to you some personal insights from Wee Li Lin into her experience of making both feature films and corporate videos, and about the local film industry.
What is being a filmmaker in Singapore like compared to the experience overseas?
I’ve never worked as a filmmaker abroad and can’t really give an accurate opinion – but I did make some student films in New York during my youth and I have several overseas filmmaker friends, and what I gather is that the government funding for filmmakers in Singapore is better. The ones overseas are scarcer, and hence much more competitive.
However, I did feel while I was in America that the societal support for film-making in general was better, whereas it’s something that still needs to be nurtured in Singapore. Locations and corporate sponsors are still a challenge to get in here if you don’t have a budget whereas when I was in America, companies and locations were much more open and supportive.
The general feeling I got was that people there want to help, especially if you are starting out or are independent, but the feeling I get here is that people generally are more inclined to support only when you’re well-known, or have big money behind you.
What do you feel is going well, and what is lacking in the local film industry? What has changed in the past years?
Singapore audiences are warming up to local fare and this is exciting and important. I think the demographic landscape of Singapore is changing too – we have a lot of new immigrants from around the region and permanent residents from abroad, and this is changing the face of our talents and audience, in a good way. Singapore is in a position to make truly global Asian films more so than any other Asian country because we are so diverse and comfortably multi-lingual.
What inspires you in your films?
I love telling stories and showcasing characters that I think are unique, interesting, and reflect what’s right and wrong in my world – such as Singapore! I’m a naturally cheeky person, I have wacky tendencies, and I like that to translate in my work and get my audiences to have a laugh or have a ‘WTF’ moment. I’m still growing and learning, and my drive to do the best work I can keeps me going.
Do you make films for Singaporeans, or for a larger, global audience?
I make films that first and foremost speak to myself and my immediate circle. This is normal and true for most independent filmmakers (except when you have a tackle a big studio film and there are really a lot to of variables to think about), but I do care about entertaining my audience and giving them a laugh, a tickle and a think. I always hope my films reach out to as many people as possible.
What are some of your favorite films?
The ones I always watch on repeat – which drives my husband crazy – are ‘Eat Drink Man Woman’, ‘Rushmore’, ‘Thelma and Louise’, ‘Blade Runner’, ‘Howard’s End’, ‘Pretty in Pink’, ‘Shall We Dance’ (the original Japanese version), ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘Lost in Translation’, ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ and ‘Muriel’s Wedding’.
Where would you recommend people to catch both indie and foreign films in Singapore?
The Arts House, Objectifs, Substation, Alliance Francaise, Golden Village at Vivo City, and Cathay Picturehouse.
What do you wish to see more in our local film industry?
I hope for a more open-minded view on the types of films that come out from Singaporean filmmakers. We are pretty receptive to showing different types of foreign films, but when it comes to our own Singaporean filmmakers trying to make a statement, I feel we can be very closed minded. Of course, there is always a line to draw, but that line is drawn very strictly for Singaporean filmmakers. This is not just with films that have controversial themes, but for also for those that explore what makes a Singapore film ‘commercial’ and ‘Singaporean’. We should instead just focus on writing good stories and making the best film we can possibly make.
Frame x Frame will continue its season with Yong Mun Chee’ Where The Road Meets The Sun in November (16-25 Nov) and Lai Weijie and Elizabeth Wijaya with I Have Loved in December (8-15 Dec), with post-show discussions where audience members will get to meet the directors and writers in person. The directors and writers scheduled to appear include Lai Weijie, Elizabeth Wijaya, Adrian Tan, and Ho Minfong.
For those who want more, The Arts House also has a regular literary-inspired film program, But Is The Book Better?, that seeks to delve into the creative process of print-to-screen adaptation, with films such as The Clockwork Orange, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Frost/Nixon. The November/December edition celebrates the launch of Frame x Frame by showcasing local films adapted from Singapore books and plays.
Frame x Frame is presented by The Arts House with the support of the Singapore Film Commission. Tickets for the Frame x Frame films can be purchased here. The But Is The Book Better? screenings are free admission. For more information about Frame x Frame, see here.
