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.
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)
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.)
I am not one to exaggerate, but this one sure looks huge!
ASIAN HOT SHOTS BERLIN, the newly established independent film festival in Germany’s capital, will go into its second edition January 13-18 next year, and the programme has finally been concluded (and can be viewed in full here). Many exciting new films from across the Asian region – and some nice odd ones among them – have been selected and each and every one of them deserves their packed house full of that famously sophisticated, appreciative and discerning audience Berlin is known for.
By now, I guess, none of you will be surprised any more to find me particularly pleased with the truly remarkable share of films from Singapore included, so here’s an excerpt for you:
reporting is pathetic and the limitations on time and brain space simply too real...
...but please, you will find ALL the information here:
* do note that the festival is particularly proud to see in its programming a very strong showing of films from Singapore, with two feature films, "The Olive Depression" by Joshua Lim, "Becoming Royston" by Nicholas Chee, a documentary feature, "Where the Sun Rises" by Grace Phan, as well as a multitude of carefully selected short films, some of them highlighted in the special Singapore Hot Shots programme. Don't miss any of it!
(pic©green chilies e.V.)
Firstly, I wish everyone in here a truly happy New Year!
It has been decided by unanimous vote that 2008 will be a devastatingly good year, a year to remember for all the right reasons, so let yourself be transported into the future!
And as it will happen anyway, here’s just a quick reminder of what proto-ymagon will remain committed to no matter what:
Germany-Singapore exchange in the visual arts, film first and foremost. There’s the premiere edition of the Asian Hot Shots Festival Berlin in the offing (more on that shortly), there’s the 58th Berlinale from 7th through to 17th of February, and in April it will be the Singapore International Film Festival (21st SIFF April 4 -14) for me to attend. So, there is plenty, and that’s a good thing actually!
In literature, we still (im)patiently await the first novel by Rattawut Lapchaorensap, tentatively titled “The End of Siam”, while Gao Xingjian’s “The Case for Literature” (here) and that epic “Journey to the West” keep sitting squarely on my list. Also, there is a new Cambridge Companion to Don DeLillo slated for publication in May (here), but it is quite expensive…
In film, anticipation is high for many a reason (see the above), as I am sure something new by the likes of Miike Takashi (Sukiyaki Western Django) or Jia Zhang-ke (Ciqing shidai/The Age of Tattoo) should make its way to here, sooner or later. For Singapore, well, after it’s been a record-breaking 2007 there is a lot to be expected on this front, I bet! As always, I’ll keep you informed on these matters and am looking forward to hearing from you. Let’s restart!
(pic©www.mcoscillator.com)
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)
2nd ymagonale 2007 - programme
Yes, I've said it before, and in here more than just once, but pardon me the thing is simply too good to be missed by anyone, who might or might not be interested in seeing a good movie:
World Premiere of
“Becoming Royston”
by Nicholas Chee, Singapore
an Originasian Pictures production
April 30th 2007, 18:00 PM, Forum NRW @ Museum Ludwig, Cologne – don't miss the screening, which is of course part of this year's Cineasia Filmfestival #6, where the film is also in competition for the first ever audience choice “Cineasia Award” (for further details check here)!
What more can I say? The World Premiere of an exciting independent debut feature from Singapore in Cologne, Germany, that's awesome – and pretty much what “ymagon” is all about, really (that's for those who have followed on this topic in here, and you can catch up on it all by having a look at the posts under that label, just in case...)!
(pic©Originasian Pictures LLP)
Well, that may seem like some wishful thinking if not an altogether naïve concept and futile undertaking to begin with. But for all you who feel like, probably, they share this same dream that there is some sense and meaning in any such juxtaposition of globalization (any profound understanding of it) with the workings of film (its inherent power to affect and, yes, educate) let me give you the following: you might either have a look at my previous posts under the label “ymagon”, please, or likewise try out any of these films and decide on the issue for yourselves:
So what do you think? Let me know by sending in comments or emails!
1st ymagonale 2006 - programme
I'd very much like to thank each and every one of you, who have taken their time, hopefully not entirely wasted, to read some of the things in here. Deeply appreciate it!
May you enjoy a good time seeing the old year off and be in for an even better one in 2007!
Have your wishes come true!
Would love to have you come back to proto-ymagon one of these days in the new year, so:
See you again and take care!
mo
“Und jedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne.” (H. Hesse)
Welcome!
This now is the very first day in the hopefully healthy life of this site, proto-ymagon.blogspot.
Here some short inaugural remarks:
Since I happen to live in the wonderful and history-laden city of Berlin in Germany, right in the heart of Europe, I will from time to time defy the requirements of international outreach that lie at the core of all you'll be treated to in here, by slipping in some bits and pieces of German. Apart from seeing this as a humble incentive to probably learn the language, I of course invite you to simply drop me a line of request for translation whenever you should feel like missing out on something I've written. I shall do my bets to see to it that you get the English treatment if possible.
Main topics of this blog will be themes and issues relating to Europe and Asia.
My main interest is in literature, film and the arts in all its manifestations.
Communication will be centering on life reality and the way we perceive of it.
Focus therein will be on Germany, Japan and Singapore.
What exactly are the points of convergence where these disparate plot lines intersect or merge to become inextricably intertwined? This precisely will have to be be explored.
And then there is ymagon. ymagon is a concept of exchange between Europe and Asia that is in statu nascendi still. With time however, It should eventually evolve from proceedings in here, finally transforming itself into a workable concept; and in narrowing down on clearly defined objectives, proto-ymagon finally will be obliterated by the factual platform altogether, that is ymagon.
More on this shortly.
But up until then: this blog's relative openness is considered to be its strength. I dearly hope for the creative impulse to be enjoyable to any number of folks out there.
So, here we are, let's begin!
