Perspectives Film Festival: Keeping 35 Film Alive
PUBLISHED September 23rd, 2013 01:56 am | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 02:46 pm
Who says 35mm film format is dead? Despite the decision to end film projection in major distributors in Singapore, there are a few who are still championing this medium that films including Moonrise Kingdom, The Dark Knight Rises and Les Misérables have used. One of these initiatives is Perspectives Film Festival, which takes pride in screening most of its festival’s films in 35mm format through its six years of history. This year, all films except one – that was shot on an HC cam – will be screened in original 35mm format at the National Museum of Singapore.
Eternality Tan, one of the supervising facilitators for the festival, throws some insight into the decision to stick to 35mm.
‘While I feel that screening films in digital format is the way to go because of economic and practical reasons, traditional 35mm should still be kept alive. It creates a more authentic and organic cinematic experience for the audience.’
Festival film director Chrystal Ng agrees.
‘The longevity of the film lasts with 35mm and not digital. Hard disks can grow wonky with age, but with 35mm and film in general, it lasts through the times and showcases its age beautifully through its imperfections. Black Silk, directed by Rattana Pestonji in 1961 is the oldest film in our lineup, and 52 years later it still lives to tell the tale.’
Indeed, as major distributors here close their doors on 35mm, these independent ventures ensure the watershed does not fall into demise. In addition to a stellar lineup that includes Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets, a dialogue session about film conservation and restoration will be led by the Head of Singapore National Museum Cinémathèque and the Deputy Director of Thai Film Archive during the festival.
The spotlight is also on our local independent cinema with a free showcase of short films by homegrown filmmakers Boo Junfeng, Chris Yeo Siew Hua and K. Rajagopal. Aspiring filmmakers can also participate in the post-screening Q&A session with these directors who are each about to launch their new feature films, or apply for one of the limited slots for a masterclass on independent film financing.
What we think:
This year’s Perspective Film Festival has grown from simply presenting well-curated international films to offering sideline programmes that allow us to learn more about the ecosystem of filmmaking. Whether you’re a cinephile or a supporter of independent films, this festival is your best bet for fresh insights and new perspectives on cinema. And now onto the films.
Television
Dir. Mostofa Sarwar Farooki | 2012 | Bangladesh | 106 mins | Rating PG (Some Religious Content) | HD Cam | Bengali with English subtitles
3 October | Thursday | 7.30pm
Television explores the issue of freedom of information, and what happens when this is taken away in a Bangladeshi community. A village elder decides to ban all television programmes that are deemed anti-religious, inciting a variety of reactions from members of the community.
Awards: Busan International Film Festival (Closing Film); Dubai International Film Festival 2012.
Mean Streets
Dir. Martin Scorsese | 1973 | United States | 112 mins | NC16 (Some Nudity) | 35mm | English
4 October | Friday | 7.30pm
Based on director Martin Scorsese’s experiences growing up in Little Italy, Mean Streets is arguably his most personal work to date. Scorsese’s distinctive raw and gritty filmmaking style first began to take full form in this directorial breakthrough feature, a precursor to his later masterpieces such as Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980) and Goodfellas (1990). The film was independently financed, and shot in only 27 days.
The Boys from Fengkuei
Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien | 1983 | Taiwan | 101 mins | NC 16 (Some Coarse Language) | 35mm Taiwanese and Mandarin with English subtitles
5 October | Saturday | 7.30pm
Three friends from the fishing village of Fengkuei have finished school and spend their days idling, drinking and fighting. They decide to move to the port city of Kaohsiung to look for work. Away from the familiar community of their hometown, the three friends must now face the harsh realities of growing up and living in a big city.
Based on director Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s own experiences, The Boys from Fengkuei captures the transition from adolescent recklessness to responsible adulthood from the perspective of young boys. One of Taiwan’s most prominent and respected directors, Hou was a leading figure of the Taiwanese New Wave cinema movement in the 1980s, a response to the rising popularity of Hong Kong cinema. Taiwanese New Wave films were a realistic depiction of life in Taiwan, a large contrast to the kung-fu action and melodrama films from before.
Award: Nantes Three Continents Film Festival (Golden Montgolfiere Award)
Black Silk
Dir. Rattana Pestonji | 1961 | Thailand | 119 mins | PG | 35mm | Thai with English subtitles
6 October | Sunday | 1.30pm
Prae is a young widow who, still grieving over the death of her husband, refuses to start life anew with her lover. Desperately in need of money to convince Prae to marry him, Thom finds himself in the middle of a murder and an elaborate scandal. Prae is unwillingly dragged in as a victim, and the couple gets entangled in a web of deceit and heartbreak as things spiral out of control.
Regarded as Thailand’s first film noir, Black Silk is one of Pestonji’s best works and was nominated for the Golden Berlin Bear in 1961. Director Rattana Pestonji was well known in Thailand as a champion for local independent cinema, and had numerous run-ins with the government because of their conflicting ideals. He died in 1970 while giving a speech appealing to Thai government officials and film producers for more support for local films. The Thai Film Promotion Board was set up a few days later in his honour to promote and encourage investment in Thai films.
Awards : Berlin International Film Festival 1961 (Golden Bear – Nominee)
Shallow Grave
Dir. Danny Boyle | 1994 | UK | 92 mins | M18 (Violence and Some Nudity) | 35mm | English
6 October | Sunday | 5.30pm
Three housemates find their roommate dead from a drug overdose and steal the suspiciously large amount of money that he had left behind. Fueled by self-absorption and cynicism, the trio make bad decisions that lead to grim consequences.
Shallow Grave established Boyle’s dynamic storytelling and kinetic visuals that remain a hallmark of most of his films to date. With its black humour and nastily cynical characters shot in gritty locations, the film was made on a tight budget because Boyle felt that it gave him a greater sense of control. Boyle is known for cult hit Trainspotting (1996), acclaimed films such as Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and 127 Hours (2010), and was responsible for directing the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony.
Awards: BAFTA Awards 1995 (Best British Film)
Akanga Showcase
5 October | Saturday | 4.00pm
Perspectives will be showing three short films by our homegrown filmmakers: Katong Fugue (2007) by Boo Junfeng, GEZEITENTÜMPEL (2012) by Chris Yeo Siew Hua and Timeless (2010) by K. Rajagopal.
There will be a post-screening dialogue with the three filmmakers who will share their personal experiences in filmmaking and their thoughts about the development of the independent film industry in Singapore.
Akanga Masterclass
Applications to participate in the Akanga Masterclass by Fran Borgia will be open from 29 August – 15 September. Thirty applicants will be selected and successful applicants will be informed by 25 September via email. The masterclass is priced at $15 for students with a valid student ID and $25 for non-students. Interested parties can apply by emailing their applications to: [email protected].
For updates on Perspectives 2013, join them on Facebook here or visit their website here.
Perspectives Film Festival runs from 3 – 6 October 2013 at National Museum of Singapore. Tickets priced at S$10 / S$8 (for students, senior citizens and Singapore Film Society members) and are available via SISTIC.
