SPORE SCENE
Mar 2005

"SINGAPORE FLICKS CLICK IN HOLLAND"

Travelling filmmaker and FiRST writer, Tzang Merwyn Tong gives a first hand account about his trip to the 34th International Film Festival Rotterdam and the 13 Singapore films that were shown in the festival.

I sit at my desk at work thinking, 'What a week!' I've just returned from the world premiere of my film at the 34th International Film Festival Rotterdam. It's been a tough one year juggling both my paying job (as a writer for this magazine) and as the filmmaker behind the film A WICKED TALE. Having said that, I like to add that I'm lucky to have Royston Loh as my boss - a genuine movie lover and a boss who allows his subordinates to have hobbies and side projects (without which this film would have never been realized).

For the uninitiated, the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is one of the most important European film festivals out there. While Cannes in France and Sundance in the United States have degenerated into a Hollywood-tainted red carpet event drenched with glitz and paparazzi-degree glamour, Rotterdam in The Netherlands remains a festival faithful and dedicated to movies and movie-makers. To put it simply, the IFFR is an A-list festival recognized by many as a genuine champion of fiercely independent films from all over world.

Being invited to go to Rotterdam is like being invited to Woodstock. (My trip is paid for by the Singapore Film Commission.) There is a rock n' roll vibe about the whole festival. For starters, the festival is founded by the now semi-legendary Hubert Bals who had earned a reputation in the psychedelic 70s as an organiser of festivals including the famous Cinemanifestaties in Utrecht.

With 900 films showing, I did wonder, "Why would anybody want to watch a film by an unknown Singaporean filmmaker?" I twiddled my fingers as I waited in the cinema for my film to start. This is the world premiere, which means, this very crowd is my very first audience. How are they going to receive it? Is anybody even going to come? I was dead wrong. Not only was that premiere screening a full house, I got a hearty round of applause when the film ended. Maybe they are just being polite, I thought. It felt good, nevertheless. You can feel their appreciation and you feel appreciated - as an artist, a filmmaker and most importantly, a Singaporean.

The other films did really well too. The festival this year features a grand total of 13 Singaporean films (the biggest ever) curated by veteran festival programmer Gertjan Zuilhof under a section called S.E.A. Eyes. These films include Zombie Dogs by Toh Hai Leong, Ono! And Homecoming by Frankie Ng, Alien Invasion by Rich Ho, Perth by Djinn Ong, Cut by Royston Tan.

 

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