I think that is what it’s called and here it is, the textual synthetic and company logo for ymagon:
For reference as well as future updates, please visit ymagon.com.
For general information on the project do look up previous posts under the “ymagon” label.
Branding is not an art form and certainly not content-sensitive in any way. Your every street billboard and glossy advertisement should sufficiently prove the point (and should you still feel a need to verify, please check back with your neighbourhood convenience store only guided by whatever commercial pops into your head while shopping for shopping’s sake if you will). It’s the mechanism of mass manipulation, the gesture that means You!, which does the job. It’s a blueprint for success (“My sunglasses are good for my image.” – Samsonite) that gets played on in many variations for the sole purpose of being recognized – the pathetic joy of allowed discovery shaking hands with the mutually wilful employment of the half-conscious. Admit it: you love being victimized, don’t you?
Well, for the producer in you, here’s a wink: turn it around and make it work for you and your ego (remember: “My sunglasses are good for my image.”?). Turn your self into a brand for others to consume, a set part and distributable portion of it, and try to live it as a deal – professional, slick, and strictly one-way. iWhatever* could be just you! Try anyone?
(*no guarantee to this post but please, let me know if it works, ok?)
(pic©Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
As you know, I am talking about the arts here, so please, no confusion over what I do and do not have in mind when talking about “profitability”. Benchmarks for success are manifold and can only be individually verified – but as far as definitions go, well, that job’s been done before hasn’t it? Money as credit certainly counts for one, popularity its social equivalent (though it is common knowledge how there exists a fair degree of interchangeability between the two), and what about happiness? Its pursuit is a guaranteed civil right as laid down in the U.S. Constitution, and it sure is desirable. And the best thing about it: it doesn’t take a jury to decide and bestow, but will arrive at your heart’s doorstep simply of its own accord (or not).
Now to the matter at hand, this post is about winning awards. There are millions of opportunities, some of them highly prestigious and relevant, others not so, you know the story. What makes me wonder is the complicity of those seemingly above such concerns, the fake aloofness of the cocksure future winner and their see-through disregard for excellence (any but their own, of course). It doesn’t matter much, possibly not even to the organizers of such stage for the vain man or woman in question. But it is annoying nonetheless. It seems like a travesty of distinction and to my understanding only reinforces the challenge, if only the self-serving aspect of competition. So, I’ve been told they know how to win awards. Fine. They also know they could win big if only they chose to set their mind to it. Excellent! I can’t help but think they really know quite a lot. And before you know it, I take my share of a lesson of all this inexpensive insight to sum it up as follows: Beware those who speak to you about their humble opinion - it’s the most pretentious line of all! Thanks for sharing.
I have to be honest: I still believe the word to be more powerful than the image. Maybe, in our age, the opposite seems more believable. I say: never believe in convenience! The opposite may (also) be true. And there is a new power the word is being invested with as we look upon what’s happening: people don’t really read, they don’t think in proper appreciation of what text can do for them. Language and words are being underestimated, we see it well. As we speak, we understand. That is frighteningly little already. Shockingly, diminishing ever more, and not gradually but in a torrent. The new power stems from there. The depreciated quantity in a backlash: the striking word - revenge against the pose. The image is convention, its dominance tyranny. Each icon turns out a hydra and words into a guerrilla of reason and humanity. And we remember…
I perceive of the world as textual, not a pictorial screening before my eyes and in my mind. If tomorrow I turned blind the world would still continue to make its customary sense to me. So I don’t just watch. I read. That’s a way of engaging, of interacting and reciprocity. Colour isn’t a visual property exclusively and text is happening all the time, all around us, enveloping us – it really is us, think of it! Better read well…
At times, a few words are more telling than so many pictures (or 24 frames per second for that matter). See for yourself, as Munich based company Sunfilm Entertainment in Germany has released a German version of Royston Tan’s third feature “881” – and they absolutely had to change the title. Now it’s become so revealing, it’s “Singapur Queens” actually!
To be nothing but fact oriented on the issue, I have to admit that it’s been released early January this year and selling not too bad; at least not as last time I checked on our local Berlin retailer and all copies were positively gone (i.e. sold apparently). Now forget about your lofty idealism for once and just revel in the sheer magnitude of the event, this is groundbreaking: the first ever German market hardcopy release of any Singaporean feature film and it is so much Heavenly Cheese, this is gorgeous, ha!
The distributor signed the deal after the Berlinale EFM (European Film Market) last year where “881” had three professional market screenings. And in keeping with their astonishingly good portfolio which includes a number of true gems of Asian cinema like my favourite “Dare mo shiranai/Nobody Knows” by Koreeda Hirokazu or “Tampopo” among others, Sunfilm packaged it nicely. Thus the region 2 PAL DVD comes with your standard German dubbing (horrible!), the English subtitled making-of (sic!), a new motto (“Born to Dance” – where did that come from?) and complete with the vol. 1 OST to enjoy! This is a must-have, definitely (and you can get it here).
And while you’re at it, enriching your collection, I shall point you to the upcoming DVD release of same director’s masterpiece “4:30” to go on sale March 16th in the UK (pre-order here). Just look at the beautiful cover:
(pics©Sunfilm Entertainment | Pecadillo Pictures ltd)
The old spirit returns with renewed life: For the 22nd time Singapore International Film Festival will open its doors and screens April 14 – 25 to bring a sightly selection of films from Asia and the world at large to the festival faithful and cinema enthusiasts. There is a lot to look forward to in this edition and the effort as such is noble as can be. I sense quite a bit of defiance and will power at work in the event. Stubbornness can be a virtue, too (in times like these)!
Apart from the international feature competition and the defining Silver Screen Awards (and for the first time this year) there are the Singapore Film Awards for local (i.e. Singaporean) feature films to acknowledge excellence in the categories of: Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Performance (actors/actresses, all in one, sic!) and Best Cinematography. That in itself I reckon to be a good choice. For the rest, you should have a look at the nominees: here.
The full programme and schedule you will find on the official webby: here.
(pic©Singapore International Film Festival 2009)
Sadly, there is never enough time and work waits for no one. So I had to cut short my Berlinale pilgrimage this year and wait for critical reports to come my way instead of adding my voice to the cacophony of verdicts. – But wait, on listening to the buzz already out there (and while giving my congrats to all the winners of the evening!) I notice something quite unusual: general opinion seems to be rather positive, friendly even, with respect to this year’s event and programme, including a record number of tickets sold. Now, that certainly comes as a surprise. Especially since I cannot help but feel somebody is deliberately lowering the bar here in preparation for next year’s big celebration when Berlin International Film Festival turns 60. But maybe I got it all wrong and there was indeed more to discover than just your staple films of festival fare and mediocrity (and one of my personal highlights being the artwork of 2009 designated Palme d’Or winner “Face/Visages” by Tsai Ming-liang at EFM, currently in post-production). Without a doubt the best (new) film by far that I’ve seen was “Meotjin haru/My Dear Enemy” by Lee Yoon-ki from South Korea.
Will be back again next year anyway. So long, Berlinale!
(pic©berlinale.de)
39th Forum
“Yanaka boshuku/Deep in the Valley”, Funahashi Atsushi (Japan)
Feeble docufiction on a pagoda lost to memory. Not convincing.
(pic©berlinale.de)
My own selection process and criteria are a well kept secret and so it shall be. But here I admit it freely: I had to catch this Pusan winner!
39th Forum
“Mubobi/Naked of Defenses”, Masahide Ichii (Japan)
Minimalist isolation piece about human deficiency. Good, but slightly overarticulate.
(pic©berlinale.de)
Intermission
(“Oh, this is so pretentious! – Give me a break, okay.”)
(pic©berlinale.de)
39th Forum
“Eoddeon gaien nal/The Day After”, Lee Suk-Gyung (South Korea)
After divorce, life continues – a single episode everyday drama, humble.
(pic©berlinale.de)
39th Forum
“Meotjin haru/My Dear Enemy”, Lee Yoon-ki (South Korea)
Close cinema: ambiguous emotional fugue of crumbling defences, brilliantly composed.
(pic©berlinale.de)
24th Panorama
“Tanjong Rhu/The Casuarina Cove”, Boo Junfeng (Singapore)
Well acted and private investigation into a sensitively public issue.
“End of Love”, Simon Chun (Hong Kong)
A languid tale of reform, kind of, call it watchable.
Ya, looks like some themes are quite persistent and worthy of ever more scrutiny, certainly of support. The gay life subject matter as such is fascinating precisely because it is a margin that the majority of people have a share in, one way or another. And whether it yields assent has less to do with what is being portrayed, than how the light’s been cast, I think. It is also the only valid reason I see, why a filmic statement on lesbian and gay issues remains a special filmic challenge and potentially rewarding.
(pic©berlinale.de)
Off to a rather hectic start into a Berlin International 2009 which, admittedly, on paper at least, doesn’t look too promising. But let’s watch first – and jump to conclusions later…
Panorama Dokumente
“Queer Sarajevo Festival 2008”, Masa Hilcisin, Cazim Dervisevic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
LGBT film issues of relevance and tensions. A straight-forward campaign.
“Gevald”, Netalie Braun (Israel)
A sentimental and kitsch-nostalgic short against compromising freedom: quite queer.
“City of Borders”, Yun Suh (USA)
Differences in being different powerfully, politically, explored – in real life.
24th Panorama “Laskar Pelangi/The Rainbow Troops”, Riri Riza (Indonesia)
Children warmly reflect (parts of) the world, educating national identity.
59th Berlinale Retrospective
“Ben-Hur”, William Wyler (USA)
A wide gauge film epic that is and portrays history.
(pic©berlinale.de)
Short’s good and flexibility and spontaneity won’t suffer the long-winded anyway – so, this year again I’ll try to sum it all up for you in 10 words per film and leaving something open for discovery or discussion, as you like it! But the essential verdict will come out the stronger for it, I hope.
Here goes!
(pic©berlinale.de)
I don’t know about you, but for me, somehow, this new year doesn’t feel like it’s all that new really, Ox or not. Meltdown, downturn, down-sizing, shrinking economies and what not – again I call for some balance in the act and welcome the prospect of mixing in some bears with all the bulls (well, if there’s a need actually…) And then, for detractors, there still is this opulent new design for this year’s Berlin International Film Festival going into edition 59: whether it be underfed stars, snow flakes with an inferiority complex or just plain dots – you decide. In any case, it all star(t)s February 5 and you can take a look at the programme* right: here.
* and I want to point out one highlight amongst the many: “Tanjong Rhu (The Casuarina Cove)”, very good new short film by Boo Junfeng, Singapore, will have its WP on Saturday, 7th!
show times:
TANJONG RHU
International 7.2./17:00
Cubix 7 & 8 Interlock 9.2./22:30
Zoo Palast 1 13.2./19:00
CinemaxX 7 14.2./10:30
International 15.2./14:00
(pic©berlinale.de)
According to all sources, the second edition of ASIAN HOT SHOTS BERLIN film festival which wrapped January 18th with its official Awards Ceremony and Closing Film, has been a success. Steady crowds found their way to the screenings at cinema Babylon, witnessed an ambitious shorts competition, a diverse programme and inspiring discussion panels, and also took part in the audience voting to determine the green chilies award winners in the festival’s two categories for short and feature length films. An additional special award, the Manfred Durniok Prize, was introduced this year in recognition of outstanding achievements in furthering the idea and value of Asian-European cultural exchange in the medium of film. Since it is a widely held belief that any image says more than a thousand words, I shall leave it to the award winning pictures to testify to the strength of this year’s competitions and end with the following: AHSB organizers would like to thank everybody involved, our more than 30 international guests as well as our honourable sponsors for making this possible; we are looking forward to our continued cooperation and hope to see you again next year!
2009 winners are:
Best Feature Film:
1st Place (shared)
Jay (Francis Xavier Pasion, Philippines (2008))
Salawati (Marc X. Grigoroff, Singapore (2008))
2nd Place
Invisible Children (Brian Gothong Tan, Singapore (2008))
Best Short Film:
1st Place
God Only Knows (Mark V. Reyes, Philippines (2008))
2nd Place
Hoolahoop Soundings (Edwin, Indonesia (2008))
Manfred Durniok Award:
Die Legende von Shiva und Parvati (Krishna Saraswati, Germany/India (2008))
Congratulations to all who took part!
(pic©green chilies e.V.)
The countdown is on and before you know it ASIAN HOT SHOTS BERLIN kicks off January 13th to bring you an eclectic line-up of films carefully selected from across Asia, obviously. I’ve posted and detailed the numerous recommendable entries from Singapore before, so now I shall give you the complete programme as it can be ((p)re)viewed: here.
NOT TO BE MISSED, NONE OF IT!
(pic©green chilies e.V.)
