Besides a few great titles (like Wonder Woman and Spider-Man: Homecoming), this year’s summer blockbuster movie season hasn’t been that great. But no matter. With a growing number of alternative film festivals in Singapore, we’ve got a good number of options when it comes to finding compelling, thought-provoking flicks to watch.
Case in point: A Design Film Festival. Currently into its seventh year in Singapore, the annual event is Asia’s first film festival that’s dedicated to titles about design and its subcultures. Founded and organized by design studio Anonymous, this year’s edition spotlights 10 documentaries that zoom in on everything from architecture and typography to contemporary art, fashion and music.
These highlighted films were chosen from more than 150 submissions, and they include eight Asian premieres and two Southeast Asian premieres. Check ’em out below.
Big Time
Oct 22 & 29, 8:30pm
What’s it like to be one of the world’s most reputable and influential architects? Filmmaker Kaspar Astrup Schröder shadows Bjarke Ingels for seven years to showcase a glimpse of the Danish architect’s life, from his hectic day-to-day schedule to his design ideas to his personal struggles.
Blurred Lines
Oct 22 & 29, 1:30pm
For those of you who find the art world a complete mystery, you’re not alone. If you’ve ever wondered what actually goes on behind the glamorous scenes of the billion dollar contemporary art industry, this documentary — which features industry bigwigs and well-known artists like Damien Hirst and Marina Abramovic — sheds some light on how art is created, exhibited and sold, revealing several eye-opening practices in the process.
Cassette
Oct 22 & 29, 6pm
Delve into the history of the cassette, as you embark on a journey through the years to show the continued influence of the once ubiquitous format. Along the way, you’ll meet Lou Ottens, the man who invented the compact cassette over 50 years ago, as well as hear stories from musicians like Henry Rollins and Thurston Moore.
Dries
Oct 20 & 27, 9:30pm & 9pm
Finally, we get a peek into the life and mind of Dries Van Noten, the eclectic Belgian designer who’s notoriously private and almost never deigns to give interviews. Beginning at the early years of his career, the story follows Dries over the course of a year as he conceptualizes and brings to life four collections — quite a fitting homage for the designer who just celebrated his 100th show this year.
Free Lunch Society
Oct 21 & 28, 6:30pm
No such thing as a free lunch? Perhaps you may feel differently after this film presents its case regarding the basic income movement, a system where every citizen receives a fixed amount of money every month that provides just enough for living expenses like food, rent and clothes. Imagine what you’d do if you lived in such a society — what would the economic, political and even ethical implications be?
Hanzi
Oct 20 & 27, 7pm
“Fonts are a link between design and culture,” says the documentary, which explores how identity is shaped by language and how handwriting retains its significance in the digital age. In particular, it focuses on the typography of one of the oldest and most used languages in the world: Chinese.
Konstantin Grcic
Oct 22 & 29, 4pm
Follow product designer Konstantin Grcic as he takes you through the process of creating his cast iron furniture series — from the first sketches to the final product — and his plans for his exhibition at the illustrious Milan Furniture Fair.
Maurizio Cattelan
Oct 21 & 28, 1:30pm
Get to know the elusive and provocative artist — he’s experienced both rave reviews and controversy for his works over the last two decades — who includes in his repertoire pieces like a sculpture of Pope John Paul II hit by a meteorite and a working 18k gold toilet.
REM
Oct 21 & 28, 9pm
Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, who counts among his creations the CCTV Building in Beijing and the Seattle Central Library, is the central subject of his son Tomas’ documentary, which is a tribute of sorts to his globe-trotting 71-year-old father.
You’re Soaking In It
Oct 21 & 28, 4pm
The old ways of advertising are gone. Now, everything is about what you do online, and that’s all collected by advertisers to create a profile of you, the consumer. From the type of websites you click on to the amount of time you spend on a page, the information is used to gather specific ads that will most appeal to you. Watch this documentary and you’ll find your eyes opened to the covert ways of advertising in this digital age.
A Design Film Festival 2017 is on from Oct 20-29, various timings at Capitol Theatre. $15/ticket.
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