Our local film directors have been going places, and tackling increasingly complex topics. These three, in particular, have been on our radar.
Our local film directors have been going places, and tackling increasingly complex topics. These three, in particular, have been on our radar.
EVA TANG
Best known for:
Co-directing heritage documentaries Old Places (2010) and Old Romances (2012).
Most recently... The former journalist directed The Songs We Sang, a documentary about the 1980s xinyao (Singapore songs) movement. It enjoyed a sold-out premiere at last year's Singapore International Film Festival.
Eva on her penchant for making nostalgic documentaries:
“It isn't a deliberate choice. I feel sometimes that these topics chose me. The artistic work that I do has to resonate with me first, before I gain confidence. Also, my work doesn’t only focus on ‘forgotten’ places and culture in Singapore – it is about how we [as a society] have forgotten about ourselves. As an artist and storyteller, it is important to work on these emotions and memories.”
ANTHONY CHEN
Best known for:
Directing the critically acclaimed Ilo Ilo (2013), which nabbed the Camera d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Most recently... He executive-produced the omnibus film Distance, which opened in June.
Anthony on his vision as a film-maker:
“I hope to make films that discover, explore and reflec on the human condition. Honesty is key to all my works, as is being true to emotions, the characters, the subject matter, and myself.”
BOO JUNFENG
Best known for:
Sandcastles (2010), his debut feature film that premiered at International Critics' Week at the Cannes Film Festival.
Most recently... He’s busy promoting his sophomore feature film Apprentice, which opened here on June 30. It was selected for the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival this year.
Junfeng on what he won't compromise on:
“I refuse to rush into things. Time is an essential element in creating good work. Apprentice took five years to make – three years were spent on research and writing, one year was spent on casting and preproduction, and another year was dedicated to postproduction. It wasn't an easy story to tell and I felt it was necessary to use the amount of time we did.”
OUR CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT SKYLINE
We know it’s hard to notice something when you see it every day, but every so often, when we go for a run around the bay or have drinks at one of the many rooftop bars, we’re struck by just how beautiful our city skyline is. Even Independence Day: Resurgence director Roland Emmerich couldn’t resist letting the aliens in his movie destroy Marina Bay – a real sign that our skyline is on a par with that of New York City and London.
EPIGRAM BOOKS
People thought Edmund Wee was crazy for starting a book publishing firm with a mission to champion Singapore authors and Singapore literature. “They were convinced it would be a money loser,” says the founder of Epigram Books. Today, the publishing house has built up a sparkling collection by home-grown authors and illustrators, putting forth works that are intelligent and nuanced, and off er a decidedly Singaporean perspective.
Last year, Epigram published The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, which won rave reviews for ambitiously twinning the history of Singapore with the personal narrative of a little-known comic artist. It also took a chance on the dark, inventive prose of Amanda Lee Koe’s Ministry of Moral Panic, which ended up clinching the Singapore Literature Prize for Fiction in 2014. Its children’s books, in particular its Sherlock Sam and The Diary of Amos Lee series, have done well too. This month, it will launch a new illustrated kids’ series titled Understanding Singaporeans.
While Edmund concedes that there isn’t a fortune to be made in publishing, he feels that one simply can’t place a cash value on giving Singaporean storytellers a pen, a platform and a voice. “It is local stories that will unveil the soul of Singapore, and bond our people,” he declares.
SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS
How fitting is it that our garden city’s first Unesco heritage site is the Singapore Botanic Gardens? What was once a disused plantation in 1859 has long been transformed into a lush haven boasting more than 10,000 species of flora and a National Orchid Garden with the world’s largest orchid display. It’s a must-visit for tourists, and Singaporeans, too, have fond memories of attending open-air concerts or having family picnics there, or even just going for evening runs on its sprawling grounds. Throw in a mix of fancy restaurants, casual diners and educational exhibits, and you’ve got a destination that we’ll always be immensely proud of.
THE GRANDDADDY OF ALL CLUBS: ZOUK
It’s hard to believe that this iconic nightspot turned 25 this year, yet remains one of the stalwarts (if not the stalwart) of the night scene, even as others have come and gone. Not only is it recognised as one of the best clubs in the world, it will soon travel the region – literally. This November, the club will go on its maiden journey on board one of Asian luxury cruise line Dream Cruises’ cruise liners, where it will make its debut as one of the entertainment highlights. We are raising a glass (of Long Island Iced Tea) to the club that has given us precious memories of coordinated hand-miming on Mambo Jambo Wednesdays, and dancing till sunrise on beaches every Zoukout.
HIPSTER CULTURE
You either embrace it, or bemoan its existence. But whatever your allegiance, you can’t deny that hipsters, and their (arguably) trend-setting ways, have indelibly shaped the way people consume culture in Singapore. Without them, our idea of a good coffee would probably still be the sugary concoctions from a mass-market brand; many local indie bands and fashion labels would never have gained traction; and our street style would be decidedly one note. So while we may (gently) poke fun at them on occasion, we still love how hipsterism has helped add colour to local culture.
CODE DECO
Singapore’s first artisanal perfumery features 15 of founder Gauri Garodia’s artfully blended fragrances created in response to inspirational experiences – such as the metallic tang in the air before a storm hits – instead of market trends. Everything, from the glass carafes to vintage labels, is a work of art. We especially love Club Code Deco, a programme that allows you to try three 3ml vials of signature scents every month for $45 per month, thus letting you experiment with the scents and discover your preference without having to spend a bomb.
ALLIES OF SKIN
Founded by Nicolas Travis, this local beauty brand has only been in town for less than a year, but it’s already well loved by beauty editors and fans alike. We love how the formulations marry science with potent ingredients – think a mask you can wear all day and a toner mist that reportedly resists evaporation so your skin stays hydrated for longer. Apart from having effective formulas chock-full of antioxidants and nutrients, the products were made to seamlessly work with your current skincare routine – which means you don’t have to drop your favourites. There’s only a total of three products currently, but we can’t wait to see what Nicolas will come up with next!
MANDY T SKINCARE
We love the luxe apothecarystyle packaging, as well as the fact that we can pronounce every ingredient on the brand’s ingredients lists (no strange sounding chemicals!). Also noteworthy: this brand was one of the first home-grown vegan, all-natural and eco-friendly brands to make its mark on the local beauty scene back in 2013, when the market was predominantly saturated with big-name brands. Founded by Singapore entrepreneur Mandy T, the eponymous line boasts a range of great-for-skin small-batch products, including our personal faves, the Arabic Coffee + Coconut Body Scrub and Jasmine + Mint Body Cream.
THE NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE
What makes our National Gallery special? It’s not just its regal architecture – most of our state museums and galleries are housed in exquisite colonial structures (though admittedly, the former Supreme Court boasts a grandeur that’s hard to beat). Nor is it just its posh bars and restaurants, which have made it the new “lifestyle destination” (the National Museum of Singapore arguably started the trend of making cultural spaces hip after its 2006 refurbishment). It’s the art, pure and simple. The Gallery is the only institute in the world dedicated to modern Singapore and South-east Asian art, with a breathtaking collection of some 8,000 pieces dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries. We also like how it is starting conversations about the relationship between Asian artists and the world – its recent Reframing Modernism exhibition juxtaposed the works of regional artists with those of Picasso, Matisse and Kandinsky, placing East and West in a dialogue. Look out for an upcoming exhibition (opening September 1) on the works of feted Singapore ceramicist Iskandar Jalil.
OUR FASHION HISTORY
The newly released Fashion Most Wanted by veteran fashion journalists Tom Rao, Cat Ong and John De Souza ($37.45, published by ST Press) chronicles the evolution of Singapore’s fashion scene over the past 50 years, by tracing who, what and how we wore. We love the useful nuggets of information, such as socialite Jamie Chua’s go-to for perfectly groomed brows and aesthetic doctor Georgia Lee’s wardrobe secrets. Her World also makes a guest appearance, with some of our past issues’ covers appearing in the book! We talk fashion with the book’s three co-authors.
WHO: Freelance writer John de Souza, 62, fashion and beauty editor at Her World from 1990 to 1998.
What style advice would you off er to today's Her World reader? “Be comfortable with whatever you are, whether you’re a fashionista or a slob or anything in between. And so what if people b*tch? Be true to your style self.”
WHO: Cat Ong, 59, former fashion correspondent with The Straits Times (1984-1990) and The Sunday Times (1994-2001).
What trends will never go out of style? “Women in the cigarette pant, Oxford bags (men’s style pants), the wide-legged pant, city shorts, skorts, white shirts, blue jeans, clean-lined shift dresses, basic shell tops, halternecks, Little Black Dresses, the white shirt dress... the list goes on.”
WHO: Tom Rao, 66, Her World’s associate fashion editor in the 1980s, and editor-in-chief of the Singapore and Malaysia editions of Marie Claire in the 1990s.
Most dramatic moments in your fashion career? “Doing fashion-onlocation shoots in exotic locations such as Taormina in Sicily and Istanbul in Turkey.”
