Watch Local is back, and this time, it’s shining a spotlight on Singaporean telemovies. At its sixth edition, Objectifs’ annual series will showcase eight telemovies from the ’90s to 2016 on the silver screen for the first time. Titles range from original love stories to adaptations of local literary works, and you’ll probably even recognise a few actors while you soak up the nostalgia.
Check out the selection below.
The Playground (2015)
Feb 7, 7.30pm
Inspired by a well-loved poem about two mothers in an HDB playground by Cultural Award recipient, the late Arthur Yap, this poignant tale directed by K Rajagopal revolves around the relationship of two sisters and a child who is wiser than his years.
The Man in the Cupboard (2001) & A Perfect Exit (2007)
Feb 8, 7.30pm
Based on Colin Cheong’s novel, The Man in the Cupboard stars Ivan Heng and Karen Lim in a story about a man who, tired of his wife’s dominating ways, thinks of the perfect way to get away with her murder. But as he hides while waiting to carry out his plan, he starts reflecting on their 15-year relationship. In A Perfect Exit — which is adapted from a short story by Richard Lord — Lim Kay Tong plays a retiree diagnosed with a serious heart condition. When he realises he has nothing to live for, he decides to commit suicide through sex with a girl he finds online. Director Lee Thean-jeen’s two works are less than an hour each, and will be followed by a discussion with him.
Muthar Kanave (First Dream) (2016)
Feb 9, 7.30pm
With N. Mohamed Yahssir at the helm, this film zooms in on a couple who come from vastly different backgrounds and cultures — they’re inseparable at university, but when traditions and parents come bearing down on them, they have to make a decision that affects their relationship. In Tamil and English, with English subtitles.
Cupid Love (1995)
Feb 10, 7.30pm
A classic from the ’90s that’s set in the ’70s, this love story tells the tale of a getai singer who falls for a rich man’s son (played by Chen Hanwei). The film is in Mandarin with no English subtitles.
Time Tomorrow (1993)
Feb 11, 2pm
Harken back to Singapore’s first original English telemovie starring Ng Chin Han, who’s now gone on to appear in bigger Hollywood flicks like The Dark Knight and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The trippy story is about a wife who travels through time, 10 years to the future, to run into her husband, who’s just been grieving about his present wife’s death.
Early Morning Awakening (2005)
Feb 11, 4pm
Adapted from Off Centre, an award-winning play written by Haresh Sharma, Early Morning Awakening unveils the gradual mental breakdown of an outgoing student achiever who has had one too many traumatic experiences at National Service, university and work. As an outcast, he stumbles upon a simple-natured friend and forms an instant connection with her. The screening will be followed by a discussion with directors Gozde and Russel Zehnder.
The Love Machine (2016)
Feb 11, 7.30pm
Recently released last year, Ler Jiyuan’s work is about a group of lonely individuals whose lives intertwine through their usage of an online dating agency. Set in a future Singapore, the film focuses on their struggle to find love in a society where technology has its tentacles in the dating process. The screening will be followed by a discussion with the editor.
Watch Local 2017: Singapore Telemovies is on from Feb 7-11 at Chapel Gallery, Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film, 155 Middle Rd. Entry by donation; register here.
