quote of the week

“Here it is in a nutshell. Going up is like going north.”
(Th. R. Pynchon, Against The Day (2006))

my list of best films in 2007

1. Se, jie/Lust, Caution (Ang Lee, USA/China/Taiwan/Hong Kong (2007))
2. Bushi no ichibun/Love And Honor (Yamada Yoji, Japan (2006))
3. The Queen (Stephen Frears, UK/France/Italy (2006))
4. Geuk jang jeon/Tale of Cinema (Hong Sang-soo, South Korea (2005))
5. Auf der anderen Seite/The Edge of Heaven (Fatih Akin, Germany (2007))
6. Sanxia haoren/Still Life (Jia Zhang-ke, China (2006))
7. Kain no matsuei/Cain's Descendant (Oku Shutaro, Japan (2006))
8. Sang sattawat/Syndromes and a Century (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand/France/Austria (2006))
9. Strange Culture (Lynn Hershman-Leeson, USA (2007))
10. Takva/A Man's Fear of God (Özer Kiziltan, Turkey (2006))

One true image, at last!

(pic©ming)

quote of the week

Miranda: 'What is't, a spirit? - Lord, how it looks about. Believe me, sir, - It carries a brave form. But 'tis a spirit.'
(W. Shakespeare, The Tempest (1611/1623))

HU-Japanologie: Screenings in December

At the end of the year we’ve been let down, it seems – and I apologize. But there’s nothing I can do, really, other than hope for the best and inform you as soon as the Japan Film-AG decides to put up their programming for public viewing once more.
You’ll catch it all here(, then).

(pic©hu-berlin.de)

“the torch” #22 – in the crux: poetry in a movie

The artist’s mind is an exclave of reason and the rules of utility, and as such it is a liberated combat zone where the fight is fought between the hidden and the obvious as a stratagem of winning-over. Truly anyone is free to do it, though not everyone may be real able to, in equal measure at least. What is poetic in whichever medium – it is a semblance of some higher order; some might even dare to call it a part of the divine. In any case, it is a quality most elusive and rare, to be attained only by the talented few, with luck and patience and the right skills without doubt. So when we are being treated to its cinematic equivalent, we will hardly suffer any substitute for wonder, want to be spared of such embarrassment but catch the real thing only, a glimpse of truth unveiled. One could argue, then, that our just too common tedium total of failed attempts at art-house glory should by now have done the job of getting us to the point where enough is way too much already and we’ve simply had it, dead-alive and little else?
Well, alternatively, you might want to think the ultimate best still possible, if worth aspiring to no matter what – and join that biweekly debate on all things impossible (or so), aka: The Torch, right here.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“It seemed as if there was too much light shining in on his empty life.”
(Ardashir Vakil, Beach Boy (1997))

quote of the week

“Perhaps the book, like God, is an idea some men will cling to.”
(John Updike, More Matter (1999))

Berlin Watch redefined

I’ve said it all along but no-one would listen: how Singapore is set to transform my beloved city of Berlin! Now watch out for a new watch-out, as Singapore-based firm Great Wheel Corporation is beginning construction on Europe’s biggest Ferris wheel, due to be completed by late 2009. The facts are okay, but certainly the spirit counts for more, don’t you think? Accordingly, the Great Berlin Wheel will be huge, rising to a total height of 185 metres, as those in charge know: size does matter! That’s easily more than the London Eye and beats even the Singapore Flyer’s 165 metres (currently under construction) to 20 metres – who would have thought?
Now this should set us reeling for sure, offering a whole new perspective on all that’s not there: like foreign investors, a positive attitude, break-through thinking, and money actually…

(pic©DDP)

“4:30“ screens next…

…this Saturday, 18:00h @ Museum Ludwig, Cologne, as part of that little extra the CineAsia is treating us to with its special programming of movie gems from the South East Asia region (you can check out the full program: here). I hereby would like to warmly recommend and softly urge all of you movie-lovers to not let this very rare opportunity pass you by and catch this brilliantly shining crown jewel of Singapore film (4:30). And don’t forget to bring your friends along, too – they’ll be ever so thankful…
So everybody: don’t let the winter mood get to you and escape to pictureland!

(pic©www.cineasia-filmfestival.de)

“the torch” #21 – Distinguishing features – a comparative reading of Eric Khoo’s “Mee Pok Man” and “12 Storeys”

Heralded the godfather of that Singapore cinema renaissance currently in full swing, Eric Khoo has won due recognition both, at home and abroad, for his many merits in building a sustainable filmmaking scene in his country. Working tirelessly on the field’s many fronts, as producer, talent scout and facilitator for the already famous “2^nd generation”, there can be little doubting the man’s abilities. Yet almost, it seems, have those other time-consuming activities overshadowed his no less noteworthy achievements as a prolific director of short films and three features. To remedy this noted ill (or if only to keep it from developing any further), you can now rediscover what groundbreaking contributions Mr. Khoo has to his name by re-visiting and -assessing his films; as done already for our common good by: The Torch.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“All art is quite useless.”
(Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891))

World AIDS Day

we are aware...

...there's a ribbon!

quote of the week

“His starting point was the idea that at one time men, when trying to emulate the gods in their manner of speech, had used a type of sacred language transcending the vernacular, and that was poetry. Just as the gods made their proclamations in poetry, so men petitioned the gods in poetic forms, too, and it was a vestige of such ritual that one saw in the poetic act today. When a poet wrote a poem he became a kind of god; even that man in the dark suit just now had fulfilled the same role, unknowingly of course, when he left behind that letter in the form of a poem. It may have been prose in origin, but an unconscious desire to be poetic had surely shaped its appearance. Poems are for people who seek to be gods; prose is for ordinary people. The one is ancient; the other modern.”
(Maruya Saiichi, A Mature Woman (1993))

“the torch” #20 – Modes of representation Pt.2 - symbolism versus realism

Sinema’s fortnightly column “The Torch“ in this week’s edition continues its investigation into “modes of representation” in film (you can read up on pt.1 here). To clearly define the level of formality in your movie’s fictionalization effort is vital to reaching an audience head or heart; so understanding what degree of abstraction will deliver best on a given theme or issue is essential. How does it work, then, the symbolist and the realist mode respectively? On having a visual rendition top-down or bottom-up, what is there to know in order to make an informed choice in the matter? It is being explored and exemplified: here.

(pic©mo)

blogbirthday

Whoa it's been a year, a whole year already – and I'm permanently stunned now, though I couldn't tell for what exactly. My endurance, my flimsiness in keeping this up? Anyway, I thank all of you extensively with these humble words of thanks and appreciation for your interest, continued or sporadic, it doesn't matter! All I care for in maintaining this blog is furthering the free-thinking, boundary-defying endeavor which is “ymagon”. While a definition has been given, projects are still to be wished for and in the making. What eventually will become of it remains to be seen but the effort is ongoing. Either way, contributions are always welcome since it is all about being open and inclusive where building an Asia-Europe exchange in the arts is concerned. For now the focus is set to be exemplary and specific: a Singapore-Berlin connexion is already forming. So do join and stay tuned!
And just as proto-ymagon.blogspot.com is celebrating its first anniversary, I'd like to wish the great master, American novelist Don DeLillo, all the best! whose birthday it is today; what a coincidence...

(pic©www.idog-segatoys.com)

quote of the week

“You can't measure love by weight.”
(Fong juk/Exiled, Johnny To (2006))

quote of the week

“Es gibt kein richtiges Leben im falschen.” / “Wrong life cannot be lived rightly.”
(Th. W. Adorno, Minima Moralia (1951))

“the torch” #19 – Modes of representation Pt.1 - minimalism versus exuberance

There is drama, comedy and science fiction, there are period extravaganza and musicals, documentaries as well as the nerve-wracking thriller or horror movie to keep us entertained throughout the year. We see good films and bad films, and while these may not be genuine categories as such, we certainly know how to tell art-house from blockbuster, a serious tale from commercial crap – and these are genres, according to some. Whatever you like best, speaking about film and getting a clear view of the vast variety of different material out there all jointly making for our cinema, well, there is a need for clarification, don’t you think? “The Torch” in its latest tries to do just that, to coin meaningful, operable terms for addressing cinematic styles, as opposed to keeping with that well established bad habit of labelling. Catch “Modes of representation”, the first part: here.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“You notice things if you pay attention.”
(Fa yeung nin wa/In the Mood for Love, Wong Kar-Wai (2000))

HU-Japanologie: Screenings in November

The Japan Film-AG in resuming their weekly screenings this month brings you a bunch of the best and the latest in Japanese cinema, including the immense and true modern classic “Dare mo shiranai”/”Nobody Knows” by director whizz Koreeda Hirokazu, one of my favorites. If you haven't seen it yet, this is your chance!
Do check out the entire program: here.

(pic©hu-berlin.de)

quote of the week

“Reading/writing people, we are finished, we are ghosts witnessing the end of the literary era[...]”

(Philip Roth, Exit Ghost (2007))

The artist seclusion: a curse or a remedy?

Obviously, in most cases (and I speak from own experience here) it is a sheer necessity, nothing less. But that one fact alone does hardly answer the question, does it? Over the years I’ve witnessed time and again how all kinds of art people, creatives of whatever medium or standing, chose to shut themselves off from the outside world. At times in order to concentrate on their work, at others to recharge, or to revitalize their flagging spirits. Be it musicians, writers, or the fine arts individual, even team-working people can display astonishingly fierce outbreaks of autistic behaviour. Is it for better or worse, I wonder? Does it help in fighting off our demons, or does such introspection only serve to exacerbate the turmoil, all that’s confusing within us, fear-laden and irresolvable anyway, conditio humana? Is it not that these fits account for some if not most of that aloofness and detachment we observe in so much of contemporary art?
The travails of self-expression that precede and trigger all art are both, elucidating and incomplete; they should never be tempered with. What we have come to understand of L’art dégagé, does it not suggest that such concept is nothing but a gross self-contradiction? So much so in fact, that any attempt at an escape into its assumed safety is the fleeing of life itself? At the end of the day, there is no redemption, only a consciousness and maybe memory to answer to. And that alone can easily consume a lifetime.
Like Don DeLillo rightfully said: the artist, certainly the writer, has their life on the fringes; it can’t be otherwise. But we are all social beings nonetheless and bear a special, a very real and pressing responsibility to our embedding on whatever scale.
I’m not sure about any of this, after all I too feel the urge to cut myself away from all outside interference, the world at large, every so often – but always appreciate what good advice or open remark comes my way. For it is a dialogue, still.

(pic©http://voyages.nicolas.delerue.org)

“the torch” #18 – Coming to a theatre near you, soon?

Singapore film prospers, and with many a film or expert director winning awards and international as well as increasing local acclaim, all seems fine on the island, or does it? As ever more money is being washed into the system, and luckily no notable drain of the creative brains is to be observed to counter the surge, we have every reason to expect a healthy future for the industry’s renaissance. Yet there is no end to complaining, apparently, and much still remains to be wished for: funding-wise, in terms of professionalism and in overall appreciation for the art of filmmaking. All these can be remedied with time and will be addressed if those in a position to do so really mean what they say and decide to put their money where it is needed. Arguably however, any nature will only run its course where there is life and a receptivity to match the occasion.
Therefore: start dreaming! Wish and aim for better films to make the future of our cinema shine ever brighter, says: The Torch.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“Those who have an orphan's sense of history love history.”
(Michael Ondaatje, Divisadero (2007))

quote of the week

“In gewisser Weise sind Schach und Halma ja auch Kriegsspiele, allein unsere Graphiken sind heutzutage besser.” / “In a way chess and halma* are also war games, only today our graphics are better.”
(Burkhard Spinnen (2007))
* aka Chinese Checkers

“the torch” #17 – On building a sinema community

When speaking about a community in whatever context, we certainly think of things to do with interrelated networking, with sociability and solidarity, in short we assume the term to read as, and meaningfully translate into an integrated system of co-operation. “Emergence” being the proper word for that phenomenon where a set of isolated components adds up to something larger than the sole elements’ combined value, “The Torch” this week takes a look at what it all means in real fact. Filmmaking requires a strong social framework on the ground, especially where independent projects without much monetary backing are concerned. What then does all this nice talk about presumed coziness come down to if there’s no substantial reaching out to the audiences to go along with it? The pedagogic implications of a community that aims for self-sustainability without being reclusive are being discussed: here.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“I may be incompetent, but I'm good with guns.”
(Desu nôto: The last name, Kaneko Shusuke (2006))

Ready for the OscarS?

It's been a well covered story, I know, but I wanted to see for myself and have a go at the film first before joining in with the flock of congratulators (besides, this makes for a fitting post to mark our National Holiday, you'll see). Now I honestly can: director Fatih Akin after winning the Berlinale and in Cannes as well, has now been named the official selection as Germany's entry in the category of Best Foreign Language Film for next year's 80^th Academy Awards, aka “the Oscars”, with his latest masterpiece “Auf der anderen Seite” / “The Edge of Heaven”. It is a very deserving nomination indeed and hopefully will be recognized as such by the academy members making their choice. I for one can only recommend this film wholeheartedly as one of the very best I've seen over the course of the year so far, guaranteeing you a powerful, challenging and suspenseful movie experience – exactly like what we've come to know his films' most distinguishing feature to be. It is a well written, well acted movie, and above all he trusts his camera best like any director should.
As far as I am concerned it isn't so much about whether this one will be shortlisted or even bring the third trophy in six years back home to our (multi-cultured) shores. What counts is that “Auf der anderen Seite” hopefully succeeds in affecting its audiences worldwide and bring an understanding of split lives, which seems to me like one of the most pressing and determining issues of our times.

BTW, if this shouldn't work out for Akin, well, he actually has two strings to his bow as “Takva: A Man's Fear of God” is Turkey's selection for the same category naturally (and he is a co-producer of this one). I saw it earlier in the year at the Berlinale and thought it a well done and strong film also (here), a good choice by all means.
So do have a look at both of these if you can, it is worth it! (And in case you haven't seen “Gegen die Wand” / “Head-On” yet, first installment in that projected trilogy “Liebe-Tod-und Teufel” / “Love-Death-and-the Devil” that “The Edge of Heaven” is the second part of, try that one too, it is Fatih's best.)

(pic©REUTERS)

HU-Japanologie: Screenings in October

While the Japan Film-AG continues to rest in peace throughout the month of October, the Arsenal brings us “Nippon-koku Furayashiki mura” (1982) by late director Ogawa Shinsuke, and in OmU. Details.

(pic©hu-berlin.de)

quote of the week

“There are teachers. Teachers who have us for a while, allow us to see particular things, and then send us on, without regard to how we may have come to feel about them. We depart, wondering if now, perhaps, we will not be in a state of departure forever.”
(Thomas R. Pynchon, Against The Day (2006))

“the torch” #16 – sex sells

A catchy title, an adequate build-up and some action-packed finale, we know the outcome. Do we get enough of that? Is there not something amiss in our celluloid landscape when we think of some of the very best things in life especially? “The Torch” for one is outspoken in making the call for more good quality sex scenes in contemporary cinema to make it to the theatres, to give us not just a more complete assortment of entertaining features, but also for film to be more wholly representative about our lives' crucial battle grounds.
This one is for anybody who consider themselves to be somehow professional in the matter, and you'll find it right: here.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“...and all is right in the jungle.”
(Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Quentin Tarantino (2004))

IMDb's list of best Royston Tan films to date*

1. Cut (8.6/10 by 29 votes (2005))
2. Sons (8.2/10 by 16 votes (1999))
3. 881 (7.5/10 by 42 votes (2007))
4. Mother (7.1/10 by 12 votes (2001))
5. 4:30 (6.9/10 by 138 votes (2005))
6. '15' (6.7/10 by 127 votes (2002))
7. 15: The Movie (6.3/10 by 281 votes (2003))
8. 24 Hours (6.3/10 by 10 votes (2002))
9. Hock hiap leong (5.9/10 by 43 votes (2001))
10. Monkeylove (4.1/10 by 10 votes (2005))
    

* all data compiled from and courtesy of IMDb.com

quote of the week

“We are not retreating - we are advancing in another direction.”
(Douglas MacArthur)

“the torch” #15 – 'Mixation' – The true Singapore flavour

What is Singaporean about Singapore (apart from the girls)? Sinema’s column “The Torch” addresses this question as from a cosmopolitan perspective. Eastern or Western, whatever your angle, any 21^st century creative industry professional has to be in addition to everything else a designer, drawing heavily on what our modern day life-style has in store and on permanent display in terms of visual communication, so it goes. There is of course the easy way of simple fusion that is rather ignorant of the things it lumps together to make it look nice and calm on the surface of appearance; and not just in S'pore, it has to be added. But a deeper penetration of the world that is all around us, not just in the medium of film, could actually yield so much more...
Get into the mix, here, and explore your way through the jungle; on making it home safely, share your thoughts and insights on the matter, what is your view?

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“What's the point in doomed men fighting?”
(Otoko-tachi no Yamato, Sato Junya (2005))

“the torch” #14 – Playing your film?

This week's column takes a look at a possible (advisable?) cross-over between the two distinct realms of film and computer games. In our technology driven entertainment landscape there is a new call of duty that aspiring and audacious filmmakers would have to answer, producers and investors first among them, namely to explore new and original ways in which to reconcile each craft's rightful claim to consumer attention. The point is being made that indeed there is a connection already there, which is in the principal objective to interpret the real in certain ways, the inherent drive to re-late the viewer/gamer by letting them make/follow playful improvisations which remain firmly grounded in their grip on the known world – no matter the level of fantasy abstraction. Here you can explore for yourself how the challenge to sustain interest in high quality productions may necessitate to overcome your safe entrenchment of long standing and evolve the standard lines of approach to your art.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“You see, in the heart of any faith is a history that teaches us not to trust –”
(Michael Ondaatje, Anil's Ghost (2000))

HU-Japanologie: Screenings in September

While the Japan Film-AG continues snug in its semester break for another whole month (sigh!), the Arsenal will resume screenings of Japanese cine-treasures by providing us with a rare opportunity to catch “Robinson no niwa/Robinson's Garden” (1987) by Yamamoto Masashi (and a visitation out of the vast Berlinale Archives btw, of the Forum section from 20 years past!). Details here.

(pic©hu-berlin.de)

quote of the week

“It took him a moment to understand what he was looking at, many miles ahead, the city floating on the night, a feverish sprawl of light so quick and inexplicable, it seemed a kind of delirium. He wondered why he'd never thought of himself in the middle of such a thing, living there more or less. He lived in rooms, that's why. He lived and worked in this room and that. He moved only marginally, room to room. He took a taxi to and from the downtown street where his hotel was located, a place without floor mosaics and heated towel racks, and he hadn't known until now, looking at that vast band of trembling desert neon, how strange a life he was living. But only from here, out away from it. In the thing itself, down close, in the tight eyes around the table, there was nothing that was not normal.”
(Don DeLillo, Falling Man (2007))

“the torch” #13 – in the crux: motivation

“The Torch” holds that when it comes to growing your film from the soils of your heartland, with your faithful friends tending to the unlikely sprout, you have to have a plan of how best to keep the initial motivation for the project alive. On tight budget constraints especially, any display of vainglorious ingeniousness seems ill placed – assuming that you really want to see the thing through to the end, and testing your own staying power in the process. Therefore, so it goes, your rising to the occasion of that one big challenge to realize your dream calls for more than just a brilliant idea and high ambition, but rather the capacity to make a decision in accordance with a pre-established order of sensible priorities is the key to (possible) success. In you who want to get involved with such an undertaking, presumably by joining the ranks of young, independent cinema production anywhere on the globe, trust and good oversight need to keep balance.
On all of this you're welcome to cast your vote: here.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“Not so fast! We're having a discussion here, so shut up and listen.”
(Natsume Soseki, Wagahai wa neko de aru (1907))

quote of the week

“Wenn es Antworten gäbe, gäbe es schon längst keine Fragen mehr.” / “If there were any answers, there wouldn't be any questions no more.”
(Martin Walser (2007))

HU-Japanologie: Screenings in August

Just to reverify the fact: August is the month we rest. Well, some of us do, anyway, so there will be no screenings of Japanese films, past or classics, this month. And as there are no details on the matter (go out and have fun whatever way you see fit!) there is no link, no nothing here.
Check again next time on what the Japan Film-AG or Arsenal have in store – so you know, right?

(pic©hu-berlin.de)

Falling Man

It's already been a while now since the new novel by American Master Don DeLillo, “Falling Man”, has been published by Scribner, and naturally reading it instantly was all but compulsory, a privilege. I have taken my time with it, thinking about the work's content and import, the writing as such. Yet still, I haven't been able to make up my mind in all clarity about this one, not to any satisfactory degree. So for the time being I'll give you what half-digested thoughts and impressions this very touching piece of literature has left me with so far. And much of what is there is open for future revision and added insights, will remain so for quite some time, I guess.

First findings:

Lianne and Keith, to me they are like two distinct bodies hit by something hard on that day, September 11^th of 2001. Depending on their differing matter density and inner structure, their sense and understanding of self, their life disposition, the effect varies greatly: the softer one will be rocked to the core and her very foundation, and although her days may reverberate from many aftershocks for quite a while, the impact will eventually be absorbed. Whereas the less flexible, manly entity may very well be shattered by it and find himself irreversibly damaged for life. Strange to me in this context the following observation: that oftentimes DeLillo's invented characters are so bottom-line representative of something larger, a more encompassing type, I can hardly remember them by their names.

All in all “Falling Man” is written with a deceptive beauty, which even for a DeLillo novel is well worth mentioning as one of the most integral virtues this book is distinguished by, placing it in the context of his entire oeuvre somewhere between “Underworld” and “The Body Artist” - though it doesn't reach either one of these in terms of general literary achievement, I reckon. His language is undoubtedly unparalleled by anyone writing in English today and at times treats you to a staccato of enlightenment that is simply breathtaking and affords you to sit back, let the words sink in with their resounding voice – and re-read the whole passage.
The kind of detailed, almost spectral observations you encounter in the text can be gripping like little else DeLillo has produced so far, and they are affecting and deeply human. Dialogue is terse, charged with sound more real than any copy (“simulacrum”) of the real that you can find with any other writer. And this, too, has long since become a trademark of his, which he is widely, and rightfully recognized for. What's more, is the fact that with “Falling Man” all its binding power lies with exactly this, the astounding quality and precision of its lyrical prose. Structure for once seems a marginal component. To me the book is rather a listening into the protagonists and the times and their unease, as opposed to a spelling out what was and became of it. Fascinating to see how it evokes a distinct atmosphere that was really, ominously felt six years ago, even here, in Europe. It is literally as close to the event as you can possibly get, and yet, at the same time, it also features an inbuilt distance, an abstraction or overriding awareness if you will, like bruised skin healing.

But this is also the point where any serious reviewer shouldn't fail to acknowledge the fact that he hasn't gotten away from the text yet, something I shall hereby admit to, and freely. Other than that however, I insist that “Falling Man” is indeed a great piece of writing – I wouldn't call it a masterpiece; not by DeLillo's standards that is. It is good to see how this author who has already profoundly taken root in our reading public's collective mind, who has long ago established himself as a towering figure in contemporary literature and is a guiding influence to so many younger generation writers, how somebody that “established” doesn't shy away from challenging himself in his capacity and authority as a chronicler of his age and its conditions just so uncompromisingly: by taking on fully a topic, a motif, 9/11, which like no other bared one naked truth lying at the heart and centre of his writing. This is a daring endeavor and inspires a lot of respect, just as it reinforces the necessity to face up to the more hurtful instances of life – by writing about them, by telling them out, in a sense. To which ongoing process this one by all accounts clearly is a valid contribution.

Though I have my difficulties determining just how good “Falling Man” really is, I truly think it high time for Mr. DeLillo to be awarded the Nobel Prize finally this year. So, we're in for some waiting for that phone call from Sweden I'd say, and let it be for “Underworld” or his life's contribution to the art of Literature!

I'm not quite finished with this book, I feel, I will have to think about it some more. Meanwhile I'd be happy to get further clues from you, further insights and opinions, OK? And in case you haven't gotten your copy yet: the ideal opportunity to make up for this comes right here (hier).

(pic©Scribner)

quote of the week

In the sunless forest
of Ritigala

heat in the stone
heat in the airless black shadows

nine soldiers on leave
strip uniforms off
and dig a well

to give thanks
for surviving this war

A puja in an unnamed grove
the way someone you know
might lean forward
and mark the place
where your soul is
- always, they say,
near to a wound.

In the sunless forest
crouched by a forest well

pulling what was lost
out of the depth.

(Michael Ondaatje, Wells (1998))

A landmark

Share with me the joyful news that (to my knowledge) there is a momentous premiere for Singaporean film in Germany to celebrate: Eric Khoo’s brilliantly affecting “Be With Me” of 2005 (and winner of this year’s ymagonale audience award btw) is now the first ever feature film from Singapore to get a limited theatrical release, in Berlin of course. Thanks to the tireless efforts and good care of trigon-film (Switzerland), who have secured a more than deserved total of 11.115 admissions for this fine movie so far, July 17^th saw “Be With Me” finally making its overdue debut at this city’s box office. Screenings (OmU) will continue all week at the Fsk am Oranienplatz, Segitzdamm 2, 10969 Berlin, 18:00 and 22:15 respectively. So don’t miss out on catching this one while it lasts; it really is excellent, take my word for it!

(pic©Zhao Wei Films)

“the torch” #12 – The Story is your Mentor

In this week's column comes a telling and a truth: a storyline's inner truth takes the helm and - what happens? See whether you want to follow up on the argument that indeed, and convincingly so in a motion picture, the guiding power can be entrusted in the care of a tale's inner logic, to stay the course of a most natural unfolding that is suspense- and meaningful to the audience. Things get a bit philosophical, almost mystical even, when strong storytelling in a movie is claimed to lie where the visual connection is allowed to take root and unfold according to its own pattern call, resonating with the background of any viewer's versed in the canonical, or the universally human, the much talked about (and sought after) “global appeal”.
It's up for a lively debate: here, the verdict is yours.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“It's a cold night out there today, and it's getting colder.”
(another pathetic weather report (occasional))

...and in competition this year:

News just in that for its 75^th anniversary edition, this year's 64^th Venice International Film Festival includes among others in the line-up for competition (Venezia 64 section) “Sukiyaki Western Django”, that highly anticipated western by director maverick Miike Takashi!
And Jia Zhang-Ke's latest, “Wuyong”/”Useless” will premiere in the Orizzonti program, a film about Chinese fashion designer Ma Ke and not to be confused with “Ciqing shidai” (“The Age of Tattoo”), which project I reported on earlier among outstanding prospects for this year, as that one is apparently suspended for the time being.

(pic©www.labiennale.org)

quote of the week

“He'd talked to Keith a couple of times only. This was an American, not a New Yorker, not one of the Manhattan elect, a group maintained by controlled propagation. He tried to gain a sense of the younger man's feelings about politics and religion, the voice and manner of the heartland. All he learned was that Keith had once owned a pit bull. This, at least, seemed to mean something, a dog that was all skull and jaws, an American breed, developed originally to fight and kill.”
(Don DeLillo, Falling Man (2007))

“the torch” #11 – angry.political.cinema

Critical and challenging column “The Torch” this week advocates the position that meaningfully engaged contemporary filmmaking should not shy away from taking sides, from being political by taking a stance on relevant issues concerning our life and times – and not just stand idly by complaining. Given the enormous power film possesses as a medium to shape and build the minds of its audience, to address an ill and raise awareness, every single creative out there, wherever, should be compelled to act if they encounter a situation that needs to be altered because it causes others to suffer, should they not? So it wouldn't be just being querulous and unruly – although that also may play its rightful part in any open society – but rather a first and important step to instigate a change for the better where it is most urgently called for. Why not should the artist be the one to decide and get involved?
Have a look here and take up your stance!

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“Life's (...) but a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”
(W. Shakespeare, Macbeth (1606/1623))

Royston Tan roundup 07-07

Yes, I promised to keep you updated – and failed you miserably, I know...
But to make up for what's been lost (if anything), here's a brief roundup of some of the latest and confirmed information about what my favorite director, Royston Tan, has in store for us this season; and there is some.
First of all let me point out to you that come August 2^nd there will be a (hopefully not so) rare opportunity to catch him as an actor (sic!) impersonating: himself, in that highly anticipated feature “Becoming Royston” by director Nicholas Chee, the very one I already informed you about occasionally in here (see post directly below).
Then, and you've heard it already of course, only a week after that RT's next film “881” will premiere in Singapore, for which event there allegedly will be a huge, live getai performance taking the stage in VivoCity. Please, anyone who can make it there, do report back to me if you can, it's sure going to be flashy! For any more details, teaser trailers and behind-the-scenes pics, do have a look at pym friendly royston-tan.blogspot.com, because this is the source to trust in this matter and always worth a visit. Not least since undergoing a complete redo on its 1^st anniversary recently (Congrats, bodyguard!), see for yourselves.
Kinda obscure by comparison but no less interesting is the latest screening of one Russian/Canadian ensemble short film titled “Hotel Vladivostok” of which Royston directed a 5 min. sequence back in September 2005. Not much information on this one, except that its original concept seems to have been of seven directors taking up the camera (and a set cast of five actors) in turn to come up with something or other. “No script. No rules. No budget”, and each shot to their fancy and whim of the moment, conferring the non-consecutive outcome to 35mm stock; and to posterity and our joint wonder... This one actually picked up the special award by the festival's official mobile operator MegaFon at the 4^th Vladivostok International Film Festival “Pacific Meridian” (VIFF) where it premiered the following year in 2006. Why all this yesterday's news now? Well, to my knowledge it was last shown April 18^th at this year's Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) and I wonder: when and where next?
And last but not least, something short should surely be in the works, as ever: stay tuned.

(pic©Zhao Wei Films/MediaCorp Raintree Pictures/MDA/Scorpio East Pictures/Infinite Frameworks)

“Becoming Royston“ on screen and on record

There’s good news not to be overlooked as Originasian’s debut feature “Becoming Royston” (Nicholas Chee, Singapore) is finally heading for its theatrical release in SG. So anyone from the vicinity who’s happening by, don’t miss it!
Here’s the details:

August 2^nd 2007 @ The Picturehouse
Special Showcase | Cathay Cineleisure Level 5 | showtime: TBA

And when you’ve seen it with your friends and family, the whole lot, make sure to cast your favourable ballot on IMDb where “BR” is on record now, albeit in somewhat jagged fashion; improvement’s pending.
Also you can download the film’s main theme “Regret” on this site’s friendly link Sinema.sg, here, check it out.
To anyone who’s not yet familiar with this indie production, track it by having a look at proto-ymagon’s earlier reporting here.

(pic©Originasian Pictures LLP)

Sabu on film

Attending a seminar with Japanese director/actor Sabu (Tanaka Hiroyuki) yesterday, left me with many lasting impressions of a very nice man and inspired filmmaker, with a renewed belief in the strength of a visual encounter with reality.
Instead of an account of the raw materials, which I'd have to deal out to you mostly undigested anyway, here's a recap of what's been on the agenda so you can pick from the menu whatever dish serves you best and follow up on these lines to your own liking:

Sabu-san stated his mild wonder on observing the ever changing ways of jeans fashion...
he mused about walking and running not as mere ways of covering a distance but a state of existence rather, the universal human condition and our forever deathward race...
he asked that any original idea be seen through to the end, even if it's not particularly good...
he shared his observation of the future lying to the left and the past to the right hand side...
he added that this however, may vary due to different idiosyncrasies in different cultures...
he reported on how he uses to detail his scripts down to every single bit and piece of a scene's ultimate composition...
he told about partial amnesia, about waking up one morning in some nondescript hotel room with seaweed in your trouser pockets, then stepping to the window - to discover you're in HK...
there was a quick mentioning of having inspired Tom Tykwer back in 1997 (sic!)...
Sabu-san filled us in on his intention to shoot his next film in Germany (yes yes!), touched on the peculiar problems of location scouting in Berlin and revealed his hopes for filming with Beat Takeshi in the future...
above all, he strongly suggested to all of us a keen sense of inspiration, a believe in the power of intuition and simply, the joy of making films.

Many thanks be for the patience he displayed and the obvious passion for his craft that he let us have more than just a slight glimpse of. To anyone concerned: do watch his movies when you can, it's worth it!

(pic©www.de.emb-japan.go.jp)

quote of the week

“He was like a man from the provinces in one of the capital's theaters, who's racking his brains at trying to figure out the actors and their respective parts.”
(Mori Ogai, Kanzan Jittoku (1916))

HU-Japanologie: Screenings in July

The Japan Film-AG continue their screenings with two more films this month, including Shinoda Masahiro’s “Shinjû ten no Amijima”/”Double Suicide” on July 12^th, while there will be no projections at the Arsenal this month and next – your deserved summer break. Have a look at all the details here.
But above all: do take note of the fantastic opportunity to catch renowned director/actor Sabu/Tanaka Hiroyuki (Posutoman burusu, Kôfuku no kane, Shisso) in an exclusive Q&A at the Mori-Ôgai-Gedenkstätte, Luisenstr. 39 on July 10^th, from 6pm! Not to be missed!

(pic©hu-berlin.de)

“the torch” #10 – in the crux: voice-over narration

There's a call going out this week from Sinema's column “The Torch” as its sub-series “in the crux” voices a simple and clear-cut demand: let images speak! If your medium of choice be in the realm of all things visual and their power to speak out for you as a genuine act of self-expression, why not trust in that very power to communicate and convincingly tell your story to the full? What if anything can be won by applying the peculiar technique of voice over narration to a film's on-screen unfolding? In the limelight are the numerous implications to this particular technical aspect of film making, a challenging discussion is opened up of whether it is really that simple to create visual poetry by textually giving a voice to moving images? You can follow the line of argumentation for yourself: here.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“One must make the great changes for oneself or it doesn't amount to destiny.”
(Shirley Hazzard, The Great Fire (2004))

Finally: Europe goes digital!

Yesterday it was announced by the AAM (Arts Alliance Media) that a deal has been struck to share the costs of furbishing up cinemas across Europe to suit digital film projection. If you think back at the more than winding road we've been travelling to finally arrive at this junction you may now easily rejoice and hail the new and promising times of a substantially reduced price tag to film productions and ex aequo, a wider range of movies to make it into the theaters.

But easy, not too fast, you might be in for a disappointment if you look at the details. The agreement was reached not with a broad based negotiation partner on the side of content providers like the FIAPF for example, but with Twentieth Century Fox and Universal Pictures International solely. Consequentially, this settlement may affect these studios' back catalogues and current as well as future productions, we may rightfully assume. What with the many countries and their multitude of smaller but at least, I should think, equally creative enterprises that account for all the rest but are not part of the deal, the effect may prove to be less than quite that positive. We all know how it is big Hollywood companies with their blockbusters who firmly hold the reins where control of distribution channels in Europe is concerned, including screens access, it sadly must be added here. If 7.000 screens are now to be thus equipped as has been announced in this context, saving the industry an alleged 1 billion $ in production money a year, an already firm grip on these facilities could very well further tighten and eventually exclude third party content from having access altogether, practically if not nominally.

I'm not wishing for the worst, so I hope, but in my view there is the real danger slowly emerging at the horizon of a soon to be felt technical divide between the big players' monopolized infrastructure and the remainder of independent, well-programmed art-house cinemas, barely surviving – but for how long? Face it, your beloved movie theater that treats you and like-minded aficionados to global content and quality will hardly be able to afford the 50.000 € per screen to meet digital standards by integrating the server/projector set. Taking into account the “way of the world”, which in this case is roughly congruent with the way of the market and consumer behaviour (including your own!), it is easy to see where this will get us, right?

In my opinion this clearly and instantly calls for the right people in the right places to take notice (and action), namely all the respective national, but first and foremost, the European institutional bodies responsible for cultural affairs. Safeguarding cultural diversity and anti-cartel market regulation being their set task and assigned prerogative, ways need to be cleared in order to prevent a dichotomy from taking root in our film landscape that can be nothing but disastrous in its “downscaling” effects. If need be, funds will have to be allocated to ensure independent productions to stay in the market and be lucrative on their own terms. Because obviously, their increasingly preferred option of pursuing an HD facilitated end-to-end work flow would over time see almost any non-aligned film production on a collision course with distribution, meaning: screening outlets. With small, courageous production companies being forced to work on a tight budget anyway, and daring distributors equally happy to avoid the horrendous cumulative costs of any release with 35mm copies at a price of 1.000 € each, you end up with somehow having to cover the expenses for an initial HD to 35mm transfer ranging at about 450-500 $ per minute. Now how do you perform that feat, I wonder?

If anyone concerned is in need of a wake-up call, take this one for a start – and don't say you haven't be warned when it's too late! (You never know what you've got till it's gone, or do you?) Our cultural heritage is deserving of and entitled to state, that is public protection for our common good. And this includes self-expression in the making, the contemporary arts as well.

(pic©Sean Pecknold)

quote of the week

“The sunset is great, even when it's fading.”
(The Last Communist, Amir Muhammad (2006))

“the torch” #9 – Last exit Hollywood

Sinema's fortnightly column “The Torch” this time tackles the issue of mind building via storytelling and explores how intelligent film can stand particularly strong against the backdrop of formulaic studio mass production. It pointedly asks the question if young independent film makers for example in a country like Singapore, instead of serving the same dishes all over again, couldn't actually benefit the most from self-consciously occupying that niche which is their own home territory on the map of imagination and by doing so eventually claim an ever widening margin of audience attention worldwide.
If you want to have a closer look at such a positive and constructive concept of “applied parochialism”, all you need to do is simply click: here.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“Likewise the shape of the human body is not particularly interesting as such. It is a mirror of the soul. It's the inner light shining through a form which is of interest.”
(Auguste Rodin as in: Mori Ogai, Hanako (1910))

quote of the week

Wär' nicht das Auge sonnenhaft,
Wie könnten wir das Licht erblicken?
Lebt' nicht in uns des Gottes eigne Kraft
Wie könnt' uns Göttliches entzücken?

If not the eye were of the sun,
how could we ever see the light?
If not in us lived god's own might,
how'd we be touched by things divine?

(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Zur Farbenlehre/Theory of Colours (1810))

“the torch” #8 – What festivals (won't necessarily) do

Successfully showcasing an independent production to international audiences and distributors requires a feasible networking strategy. “The Torch” looks into the matter of how this very term in practical fact translates into a twofold approach to the kind of crucial choices film makers have to make these days when deciding on which festival to take their films to. While the networking part involves the personal dimension of forging ties of mutual interest, establish sturdy bonds across cultural differences, a strategy is needed as well to secure maximum return on capital spent in a targeted publicity effort. And Singapore film for one in its reinvigorated dynamism today has every reason to make good use of the established circuit's various opportunities for branding itself. Go for full details of this week's topic: here.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“He speaks in your voice, American, and there's a shine in his eye that's halfway hopeful.”
(Don DeLillo, Underworld (1997))

HU-Japanologie: Screenings in June

Yep, it's gonna be a fine and sunny month, it is, and what could be better than a matching series of first-class Japanese movies to go along with it? The Japan Film-AG will bring you just that and as always, you can get all the details right: here. (I only wonder, why is that one Tsukamoto film not included; everybody seen it already?)
My personal pick and special recommendation to anyone in chronically short supply of quality stuff of most any kind (just like myself) is the classic Imamura's “Akai satsui/Murderous Instints” (1964), which screening on June 14^th I unfortunately won't have the time to attend. So go there and do report back to me, will you?

(pic©hu-berlin.de)

quote ot the week

"Gut denn, es gibt also keinen Gott, wenigstens nicht für mich. Aber, mon cher ami, es gibt ein Fatum. Und weil es ein Fatum gibt, geht alles seinen Gang, dunkel und rätselvoll, und nur mitunter blitzt ein Licht auf und läßt uns gerade soviel sehen, um dem Ewigen und Rätselhaften, oder wie sonst Ihr's nennen wollt, seine Launen und Gesetze abzulauschen."

"Here now, there is no God, at least not for me. But, mon cher ami, there is fate. And because there is a fate, all things run their course, dark and enigmatic, and but rarely does a light shine through to let us glimpse of the Everlasting and the Ominous, or whatever name you'd like to call it, just so much as to behold its whims and proper laws."

(Theodor Fontane, Quitt (1890))

“the torch” #7 – A different kind of National Day

In the sense that they both, film and politics alike, deal with the individual and its situation in society, the primary questions of our social embedding, so to speak, there is this mutuality that demands of each sphere to respect the other, regardless of what tensions there may arise between the two as a matter of incidents or principles. When the Singapore Censorship Board decided in 2003 to make any number of cuts to Royston Tan's controversial film “15: The Movie” and ban the original DVD version from sale altogether, this crucial balance was once more shown to be of little concern to the authorities in Singapore. In this week's column, “The Torch” addresses this singular event and its wider implications, and poses the question of what actually marks a nation's true independence. You get it here.

(pic©mo)

quote of the week

“Sachen kommen und gehen. Ich werde versuchen, so viel wie möglich festzuhalten.” /
“Things come and go. I will try to hold fast to as much as possible.”
(Egoshooter, Christian Becker/Oliver Schwabe (2004))

"Becoming Royston" - the exclusive interview

Interview with director Nicholas Chee and producer Randy Ang from Singapore on occasion of the world premiere of “Becoming Royston” in Cologne, April 30^th 2007

mo: First of all: Congratulations to you both for the successful world premiere of your first ever feature length film here in Cologne! Thanks for bringing it to Germany to have it shown at the Cineasia Filmfestival, and yes, obviously, for granting me this interview on the occasion of course. Appreciate it.

Tell us how you have experienced this multiple premiere for you as film makers here in Cologne, please. What are the strongest, the most immediate impressions you will be taking home?

Randy Ang, producer (R): Thank you! More Kölsch anyone?

Nicholas Chee, director (N): It was a surreal experience actually to actually have a premiere in Cologne, Germany. When we decide to make the film all we wanted was to tell a story and also to make a point that if you have enough belief in something, it can actually happen. Cineasia was a truly great experience, to see the audience laugh at the same jokes and especially the Q&A part was great.

mo: What is the significance of having had the first screening of “BR the feature” not in Singapore but in Europe, in Germany in particular? Did you observe any differences in reactions to the film by a non-Asian audience?

R: To qualify: we did a festival screening at the Asian Festival of First Film in November 2006 but that version was not the one that premiered in Germany. The film in Germany is the 'final' version. So I am able to answer the second part of your question. As observed, Germany is very similar to our own country, our people share a lot of similar gripes about our society and the way of life, more similar than I could have imagined before coming over. There is always a core group of film lovers who would attend festivals, have things to say after, same everywhere. So the bases of my personal feel is on this group. I couldn't say the same for the general audience. The audience seems much more receptive of works from Asia, especially independent productions. Perhaps it is because works from here may seem unique or even exotic; whereas back here independent works are usually (largely) ignored. One cannot help but argue about the population mass but the sense of acceptance (personally) was so much more. It is rather hilarious come to think of it when our film has so much cultural references. Perhaps, you guys try harder. And I thank you all for that.

N: It is important for us to have a foreign audience and especially with voting afterwards. It really helped us as filmmakers to know how to improve on what worked and what didn't. Most of the audience laughed at the same points which meant the stories were pretty universal, which is good news!

mo: What makes BR a Singaporean film in essence, and what by contrast, makes it appeal to international audiences as well?

R: The theme of the film is universal. We dream. We try to live given a reason to live. We "try to" live to the fullest. We all have our dreams, fulfilled, unfulfilled or discharged. And our fates are often not shaped by our hands but by the people or society around us. Maybe we all relate to that.

N: The story speaks of very common characters and relationships in Singapore. Also because Singapore already has an international appeal, in fact by showing the non-conventions of Singapore, the film worked better.

mo: In some shots in Ah-girl's room there is this “2046” poster to be seen in the background, surely not by accident. To take it as a tip of the hat in the direction of Wong Kar Wei, what seems like a possible parallel is this recurring theme of escapism by the arts figuring prominently in his works, in Wong's that is. Now, does Boon Huat try something similar? Does BR tell a tale in that same mold, of an escape of some sort?

R: It is by accident actually, haha. The poster matched the sheets we've got and I just happened to have WKW's posters around. There is a "Pulp Fiction" poster too for the record. Since you have read it that way, let me try to answer this: I think, and I don't know if Nic agrees. Boon Huat first escapes by choice. Later on, the choices he had to make were purely accidental. So perhaps the parallel is this: We wanted to make a film (by choice) but when making it, a lot of things were "accidental" in the way we try to shape the scenes based on the situation we were in at the time (budgets, lack of sleep...etc). Watching a movie is escapism in itself, don't you agree?

N: WKW has been a great influence as many young filmmakers would tell you too. WKW is only one part of the equation, Christopher Doyle (Cinematography) is another major part and not to forget William Chang Suk Ping (Art Direction). We all want to escape the present to an ideal future. Perhaps the struggles and circumstance of the lower working-class of Hong Kong and Singapore are pretty similar in that visual sense, we definitely couldn't have done it the Hollywood way. Kudos to Randy Ang and Ken Minehan for the great interpretation of the scenes.

mo: Boon Huat strikes one as an almost unnervingly naïve kind of guy, so much so as to have you wonder if he will ever grow up. Then of course he learns some lessons, the hard way. Is this philosophy turned into practice or rather a natural, low-key trial-and-error approach to life? Does understanding come to him “through the deed” or while being “asleep”, and would it match your own life's experience?

R: Simply put: I think we all learnt through experiences. We learnt filmmaking while making a film and not in a classroom where we are taught "how" a film "should" be made. Boon Huat is a sponge but not a rather good sponge.

N: In some sense, it is rather autobiographical for me. I could only tell stories I knew, much like Boon Huat. Life is meant to be lived, not to be understood. You can't learn about life in the classroom or a text book and even if you could learn the theories, you have to pretty much fuck up a few times to get it right. I think we are obsessed with doing everything right the first time that we forget about living at all.

mo: Advancement of self, that's an issue on many levels, both in BR and in Singaporean society itself. While Europeans generally think Asians, especially of the younger generation, to be mostly materialistic in their approach to life, how do you feel about such a perception?

R: Sigh. Too much Japanese mobile phone commercials. I think in Singapore, we are taught to own things. Seriously. We seldom want to rent, we seldom want to borrow, we want to own. I think we are materialistic yes. But more importantly, the problem lies in that when we own more, we care less. I was looking at my beef steak last night and was wondering where the meat came from. Was it a good cow? What makes a good cow? How was the weather like when it was slaughtered? Did the person who killed the cow have any feelings for it, more likely not, it is a job? Maybe, as he was slaughtering the cow, he thought, damn, I want a better job so that I can afford to buy more stuff? Maybe I should slaughter more cows, but that would populate the market with more cows and I can charge less for this one. Sigh. I just want that new NOKIA phone.

N: Materialism is a multifaceted concept. We have a constant need to be fulfilled either materially or spiritually. Because Asia is only experiencing the cultural revolution 2 generations later than Western Europe, (think arts and culture) we could only fill ourselves with things we can have easy access to. Material goods seems to be the easy way out. I see the same trends with developing nations too but the main difference is that culture developed alongside economic development but that did not happen to much of South East Asia.

mo: Now the easy questions: What makes a good movie? Do you believe you've done reasonably well with BR by these measures?

R: You must be kidding. A good movie to me is one that you can watch a very bad (perhaps, copied) DVD, with poor syncing and bad picture quality but you totally enjoyed the movie. I think BR has gotten good responses.

N: A good movie is one that is relevant to the audience. It has to matter to those who watch it. We try to achieve that with BR, technicalities aside, I think the whole team has put their vision into this little project and that made a difference.

mo: What was the one most tested quality in yourselves when making this film, beginning to end? Speaking to the matter as a director/producer, what is the most valuable lesson you've learned in the process?

R: Patience and believe in each other, not just the director but everyone who worked on the film. My most valuable lesson, sadly revolves around $, get enough (not too much) funding first before you proceed; less funding makes you work smarter, but please just start shooting.

N: I've learnt so much from the crew and cast, in fact I am the most inexperienced of the lot. I don't watch a lot of movies, I know nothing about making a film. The most valuable lessons that I have learnt while making BR is that I have to trust the people I worked with and managing expectations.

mo: How do you keep everybody who's been involved with this daring project motivated, despite the occasional setbacks and the absence of those handy millions?

R: The motivation firstly wasn't money. We all deep down believed that it is a worthy story to be told. But I would like to think that everyone was moving because Nic and myself believed more than anyone that this is going to be great, plus, it was just 13 days. The harder part was during post-production, which was for Nic and later on me getting over the sleepless nights.

N: I have to thank a few people here. Randy is the pivotal point in the whole project, his project management skills are second to none. His dedication was the sole reason that kept the production moving forward. He's truly a great friend and partner to work with. April Tong, who took the project management without even thinking twice, her experience and presence gave us so much confidence to move forward and Boi Kwong and Christina Choo helped me to manage the crew and took care of the entire production.

mo: Where do you go from here, both personally and professionally in this very special director-producer tandem of yours? What are your plans for the future? Any projects in film?

R: I have film projects in the works with other directors. Nic and I started Sinema.sg which we are expanding into a real media platform.

N: I'm working on my MA in Photography right now and I have a few stories in mind that I hope will come to light soon. The next step is to really push Singapore made films out to the world and I'd love to work with young talents and hopefully contribute to the growing industry.

mo: And finally, what if anything do you know “ymagon” to mean?

R: "Ymagon" is a very thoughtful dish best served between a beer and a good movie.

N: Ah, this one I have cheated a bit, from your blog! But if you ask me what it meant to me, I would say that it's a philosophy well worth pursuing and the sharing and exchange of Visual Culture is the right way to move forward to promote understanding for the future generations. Believe and it will happen my friend!

mo: Again, a big thank you to you, Nic and Randy, for taking the time! Bye and good luck for your future! Hopefully be seeing you back here in Germany some day soon, I should add.