My friend Sun Koh (director of the delightful Secret Heaven) has made a new short called Bedroom Dancing. It opens the 6th Asian Film Symposium tonight at 7pm Picturehouse. I have attended the syposium for many years now, one of the highlights has always been the S-express (Nice Bus?) programme which focuses on Asian, especially Southeast Asian short films. The films are curated by film programmers from their respective countries (Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong). The Malaysian programme of shorts I saw in 2004 was a great kick in the butt. Who can forget Wanita Cosmos, a cartoon parody of Malaysia’s first woman astronaut. This year, the Malaysian programme is curated by Amir Mohammed. Above all, get a glimpse of work made under very similar conditions as Singapore (a limping industry, authoritarian regimes, weak distribution infrastructure for independent work) and be inspired and shamed by the pungent films showing what can be done with very little money and a large dose of verve.
S-express Screenings @ The Guinness Theatre: all 8.00 PM
11 Sep Mon – Singapore (90mins with Talk and Q&A)
12 Sep Tue – Malaysia (90mins with Talk and Q&A)
13 Sep Wed – Thailand (90mins with Talk and Q&A)
14 Sep Thu – Indonesia (90mins with Talk and Q&A)
