“Both feared the morning, when the moon and stars would be gone, when this room would be harsh and sorrowful with sunlight, and this bed would be dismantled, waiting for other flesh. Love is expensive, Yves had once said, with his curiously dry wonder. One must put furniture around it, or it goes. Now, for a while, there would be no furniture – how long would this night have to last them?”
(James Baldwin, Another Country (1962))
True wisdom is never cheaply won, nor can it be learned like it was just another skill to acquire with some effort. It seems to be rather more elusive than that and possibly can only be attained by the few who are lucky enough to become so lucid as to allow for this visitation to fall unto them and enable them to be intimately sympathetic with life in all its endless variations. Informed knowledge and professionalism – that’s what most of us have to make do with, and that can be a reasonable undertaking as well. When it comes to passing judgment, more precisely, to review a given work of art, a film in particular, the one who does is subjected to a wide range of requirements and exacting standards, which condition their work and will in turn determine whether or not the task has been mastered. You can delve into this very specific, yet important topic by visiting the latest edition of “The Torch”: here.
(pic©mo)
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”
(Albert Einstein)
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.)
“Dull half-image and shadow of the word! The whole living painting of manners of life, of habits, needs, peculiarities of lands and skies would have to follow later or to have preceded; one would first have to sympathize with a nation to feel a single of its inclinations and actions, to feel them all together, to find one word, to think all in its richness: or else one reads...a word.”
(Johann Gottfried Herder, Another Philosophy of History for the Education of Mankind (1774))
Reality, the world around us, poses many a challenge – that much can be easily agreed on. All else is a matter of attitude and honesty it will seem, though it mustn’t be just so arbitrary a choice when it comes to addressing the issues we face and problems that call for a solution. The public domain is where all participants in an environment of freedom of expression jointly develop and permanently question the standards, an agreed upon understanding of what needs to be achieved. The democratic exchange of a diverse range of view-points adds up to the intelligence total of a civilly informed society which has the capacity to act on demand, identify an urgent need and tackle any pressing wrong that needs to be set straight.
Media interdependencies are a well known fact and need to be accounted for when a concerned filmmaker lays claim to documenting a situation, established by facts. What are the specific guidelines for making a truthful (if biased) documentary? Check your options in this by having a look at this edition’s deliberations on the topic: here.
(pic©mo)
“Run! ...for all you're worth, run!”
(Batoru rowaiaru/Battle Royale, Fukasaku Kinji (2000))
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)
“Here it is in a nutshell. Going up is like going north.”
(Th. R. Pynchon, Against The Day (2006))
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))
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 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.
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“It seemed as if there was too much light shining in on his empty life.”
(Ardashir Vakil, Beach Boy (1997))
“Perhaps the book, like God, is an idea some men will cling to.”
(John Updike, More Matter (1999))
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)
…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)
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 “2nd 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.
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