Family Portrait

A family reunites for a meal on Chinese New Year Eve’s when a daughter returns from her her studies abroad. The family members however have to grapple with the financial crisis that has befallen them with the failure of the family business, the debt incurred from the daughter’s overseas education, and the bank’s repossession of their material possessions. The film is a quiet exposition about the failing economy and the struggles that one family has to cope with.A wealthy family comes together and has their last reunion dinner together on Chinese New Year’s Eve, as they grapple with their material loss to pay for the daughter’s education aboard. It is a reflection of the failing economy and a look at how one family struggles to cope with it.

Director: Ellery Ngiam
Runtime: 27m0s
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG
Availability: library@esplanade
Accession No: 2007-D-0385;2005-D-0022
Subtitles: English
Release Year: 2004
Producer: Juan Foo, Ellery Ngiam
Language: English, Mandarin
Production Country: Singapore, United States

Cast List:

Grace Wan, Jesz Zhou, Daniel Chua, Christine Chen, Diana Lee, Jennifer Wong, Lee Yew Moon, Catherine Tan, Wilson Ng, John Lee, Wang Chu Qiao

Crew:

Writer/Director - Ellery Ngiam
Producer - Juan Foo, Ellery Ngiam
Executive Producers - Georgia Kan, Lim Tiong Soon, Ngiam Choong Kam
Film Score - Ng Tian Hui
Editor - Low Hwee Ling
Art Director - Muslimah Amir Hamzah
Director of Photography - Joseph Lee
Production Manager - Jessie Heng Ching Li
Production Coordinator - Elizabeth Jane Lee
Set Dresser - Jacqueline Ngiam
Prop Master - Rain Guo
Art Assistants - Keefe Cordeiro, Noel Teehankee
Wardrobe Stylist - Shaleh Halit
Make-up & Hair - Riaz Dellkhan
Script Continuity - Sharlyn Solomon
Stills Photography - April Lee, Song Yi Zhuang
Gaffer - King Li, Reu Low, Lawrence Lim
Key Grip - Simon Tan
1st Assistant Camera - Shawn Kelvin Fonseka, Lau Chee Meng, Jason Tai
2nd Assistant Camera - Sharon Loh, Isaac Ong
3rd Assistant Camera - Jeremy Chua
Grip - Aaron Lim, Lam Yew Mun, Siew Yaw Hoong, Noel Teehankee
Sound Recordist - James Choong
Sound Design/Music Recording/Mixer - Steven Cheong
Colourist - Viji, Nigel
Graphics - David Ng
Online Conform - Pinky Calila-Vierra
Piano - Albert Lim
Viola - Lim Chun
Cello - Lim Juan

Keywords:

Places - Changi International Airport, Chinese Temple
Occupations - Furniture Movers
Themes - Family Ties, Relationships
Places - Luxury Apartment, Chiang Kai Shek Airport, Temple
Countries - Singapore, USA
Institutions - Harvard University
Cultures - Education, Communitarianism, Filial Piety, Chinese New Year, Reunion Dinner, Singlish, East/West, Communal Dining
Relationships - Father/Daughters, Mother/Daughters, Siblings, Husband/Wife, Family
Events - Asian Financial Crisis 1997
Lifestyles - Bankruptcy, Luxury
Industries - Shipping
Religions - Christianity, Buddhism
Transport - Aeroplane