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)