Now days all major countries are part of International Film Festivals wherein they can showcase their culture and traditions. It also helps in socio-political exchanges. Mumbai, every year, witnesses quite a few International Film Festivals and this year Mumbai will be a host to Singaporean Film’s Festival. Latest Film festival in the bay city is Singapore Film Festival which is organised by Singapore Consulate-General during the period 11th July through 12th July 2018. The two main films are 881 and My Magic.
‘881’ is a 2007 Singaporean musical-comedy-drama film written and directed by Royston Tan, based on the Singapore Getai scene. Two girls, one dream. Little Papaya and Big Papaya grow up idolising Chen Jin Lang, the King of Hokkien Getai and dream of becoming Getai singers themselves. Their heart wrenching story is related by their introspective but highly sensitive friend and driver, Guan Yin. 881 was the top grossing Asian film in Singapore in 2007, grossing over S$3 million. The film was also accepted as Singapore’s selection for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film was submitted to the 44th Golden Horse Awards and received a nomination for best makeup and costume design.
The other film being ‘My Magic’ wherein Francis is a man at the end of his tether. The former magician often takes solace in the bottle and barely makes a living as a cleaner in a nightclub. He has a 10-year-old son he desperately loves, but sorrow, guilt and constant inebriation have made him an ineffectual father. A broken spirit and a single parent, Francis hopes to redeem himself and win his son’s love and respect. He makes a painful – and bizarre – return to magic. An unexpected incident one night sets father and son on the road. My Magic was the first Singapore film to be nominated for the Palme D’Or, the top award for film at the Cannes Film Festival. It has been also selected as Singapore’s official entry for the Academy Awards in 2009.
The Singapore Consulate-General in Mumbai will be holding the 2018 Singapore Film Festival on 11 & 12 July 2018 at the Little Theatre, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai. If you are interested to attend, you may contact the Consulate-General at Tel no: 022-61502900 / 2204 3205/09 for more details. Tickets to the film festival may be collected from 10:00am to 4:00pm at the Consulate-General located at: Singapore Consulate-General in Mumbai, 152, 14th floor, Maker Chamber IV, 222 Jamnalal Bajaj Marg, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021