The Real New Wave
Just got back from Bangkok International Film Festival with Chris and we were pretty moved at the world premiere. It was our first time watching In The House Of Straw screened in a large theatre too and all the hard work we put in the post-prod just showed. The picture looked brilliant and the sound projection was superb. Our special thanks to the Bangkok International Film Festival team that presented our little film. Here are some comments from critics who like the film:
“I watched Straws earlier today and it got me wondering if we’re witnessing a new kind of aesthetics being forged in Singapore cinema today – a Singapore New Wave that actually warrants the term because of the innovations made and not just referring to the “next generation”….Straws is structurally adventurous, unapologetically discarding the checklist of what a “proper” movie should have (the acting is so wooden it’s practically brittle) and, I suspect, Yeo treats the various elements of his movie the same way one assembles chess pieces in a game….Narrative-driven dramas/comedy/horror/action may still be what’s the favoured approach to filmmaking in Singapore, but Straws is one example of the more exciting things to come from the real New Wave that’s percolating underneath the mainstream.” – Mayo Martin, TODAY. Read his wonderful article here.
“Singaporean filmmaker Chris Yeo Siew Hua’s debut film has a theatrical rather than cinematic quality to it. Experimental and conceptual, this strange drama is so full of metaphor it’s difficult to understand what is real and what is allegorical. .. What House of Straw is really about is individuality and identity, and how Zhi Wen slowly loses his and is absorbed by the other characters by over the course of the film. (4/5)” – Wise Kwai.
“In The House of Straw (A++++++++++++++++++) this might be my favorite film of the festival besides 35 Shots.“, “35 Shots of Rum (A++++++++++) Across The River (B) Adrift (A) Altiplano (B) Antichrist (A+) Aurora (A) Breatheless (A+) Call If You Need Me (A) Castro (A+) Dead Snow (B) Dogtooth (A+/A) Here (A+) In The House of Straw (A++++++++++). A brave, complex, crazy, funny, weird, uncompromising coming-of-age film for the facebook generation.” - Graiwoot Chulphongsathorn, NETPAC Juror and writer for Bioscope.
We love Claire Denis too! 
In The House Of Straw
I am happy to share that In The House Of Straw by Chris Yeo Siew Hua will world premiere and compete for the Golden Kinnaree Award in the Southeast Asian Section at the Bangkok International Film Festival 2009.
Screenings of In The House Of Straw (In Competition: Southeast Asian Section)
Date: 29 Sep 2009
Time: 1710
Venue: Paragon Cineplex
Date: 30 Sep 2009
Time: 1245
Venue: Paragon Cineplex
Other films in competition in the same section include: Independencia by Raya Martin, Nymph by Pen-ek Ratanaurang, Here by Ho Tzu Nyen and Call If You Need Me by James Lee. More details here: http://bangkokfilm.org/index.php?name=programs&category=22.
Flooding Competes In Seoul
Following its world premiere in Hong Kong International Film Festival’s Asian Digital Competition, Flooding In The Time Of Drought will compete next at Korea’s 3rd Cinema Digital Seoul Film Festival (CinDi) helmed by Park Ki Yong.
Aiming at discovering Asian talent in digital cinema, seven-day fest will screen 92 films from 17 countries, including 15 films in competition. Competition pics includes Oxhide II” by Liu Jia Yin (China) and “Sex My Life” by Bahman Mo’tamedian (Iran).
Red Dragonflies wrapped
It’s a wrap!
All photos taken by our very tall still photographer, han.
White Days Theatrical Release
White Days screened to a sold-out audience at the Singapore International Film Festival and to much critical success. We are glad to inform you that the film has been picked up for theatrical release in Singapore and will premiere on the 17th June. The crew and cast will be there for QnA session. Screening schedules can be found here.
“White Days may very well be the least controlled Singaporean feature film ever, and it is in letting go that its directorial paradigm takes a minor yet enlightening flight. It is a road movie, only at a snails pace. Or maybe the marginal movement is vertical rather than to be measured in linear progress. It is timed as idleness but the workings are all there: internal, but not beyond perception and on almost involuntary display – the truthfulness of surface, as the director put it. Directorial interventions are pointed, effective and clear. They compliment the temperature of a film that is not as random as it may seem, but intelligently lends itself to the play and interaction of its cast with a minimal amount of calculation and guidance. An impishly enjoyable debut that is notable for being so relaxed; and this in itself is refreshing.” – Mathias Ortmann (Read the full review)
“Between today’s local film offering, A Big Road which is in the Asian Feature Film Competition, and White Days which is more of an experimental feature, putting these two side by side makes the latter seem like a masterpiece. And the irony here is that it’s raw, unscripted, is shot in black and white and like all most independent filmmakers here, enjoy liberal use of the still camera coupled with long takes. That, compared to what would seem as more polished production values in the former.” – Stefan Shih (Read the full review)
Filmmaker, Lei Yuan Bin with his cast at the Talkback session.
Filmmaker, Lei Yuan Bin with Chris Yeo, lead actor and co-scriptwriter of White Days.
All photos taken by han.
Night Lights
We have wrapped shoot for Night Lights and are in post-production now. Big thanks to all who helped make this possible.
Pictures from HKIFF
Sherman and Bee Thiam at the Asian Film Awards
QnA after world premiere of White Days: (From left) Jacob Wong (programmer of HKIFF) Lei Yuan Bin (director), translator, Vel Ng (actress), Daniel Hui (actor).
Hong Kong International Film Festival 2009
Two films will make their world premieres and compete at the Hong Kong International Film Festival 2009: Flooding In The Time Of Drought by Sherman Ong and White Days by Lei Yuan Bin.
Screenings of Flooding In The Time Of Drought (In Competition: Asian Digital Competition)
Date: 29 Mar 2009
Time: 10:30 AM
Venue: HK Space Museum Lecture Hall
Date: 05 Apr 2009
Time: 2:30 PM
Venue: HK Arts Centre Agnès b. CINEMA!
Screenings of White Days (In Competition: Fipresci Award)
Date: 29 Mar 2009
Time: 12:15 PM
Venue: UA Cityplaza
Date: 01 Apr 2009
Time: 7:30 PM
Venue: UA Langham Place
Because Cassavetes
“If you’re worrying about how to finance and distribute your movies, then you shouldn’t bother making movies. You make movies because you need to make movies. Everything else is unimportant. If you wait to get the money to make a movie then you shouldn’t make the movie. If you need distribution in place before you have the courage to make a movie then it’s not a movie worth making. There are many other ways to make money than making movies. If you need to make money, please find some other way to do it. You make movies to lose your money. That is the purpose of making a movie—to put your life into something—not get something out of it.” – John Cassavetes
Inspired by this, 13 LITTLE PICTURES is founded to produce and present innovative feature films by filmmakers who love cinema.
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