*There will be a 5 min intermission after the film “A Dance for Ren Hang” for entry of audience members under 21 years of age

Kingdom (2018, dir. Tan Wei Keong) 
5 min | No Dialogue | NC16
A lost man falls apart in a forest.

*World Premiere*
Bare (2019, dir. Martin Loh) 
11 min | English with English subtitles | M18

In a surreal take on the documentary form, the film poses questions about our treatment of naked bodies. Richard, who is curious about naturism, chances upon a YouTube video discussing public nudity in Singapore. With his interest piqued, Richard manages to get in contact with two Singaporean naturists, Lim and B, and they decide to meet up in real life. As they begin sharing their reasons for being a naturist, Richard’s imagination comes alive. He interacts more with the naturists in his imagination, drawing on his real-life experiences and seeing them materialise in his head. Eventually, he grows to understand what it means to bare it all.

A Dance for Ren Hang (2018, dir. Lei Yuan Bin)
9 min | No Dialogue | Rating R21
Three dancers reenact the best photographs by brilliant Chinese photographer Ren Hang, who was well known for his shocking photographs bordering on taboo.

*World Premiere*
Religious Procession (2019, dir. Dave Lim) 
16 min | English, Mandarin, Hokkien with English subtitles | Rating PG13

Religious Procession is an experimental documentary film of public religious processions undertaken by two major religious groups in Singapore, Hinduism and Taoism. In a time where secularism and religious practices are at conflict; the hyper-modern conservative state of Singapore struggles with balancing secularism and religious practice. In heavily contested and regulated space, syncretic religions intermix with each other, forming a curious mixture of religious harmony; amidst an environment of differing opinions and continuous fragmentation. Shot over a period of 2 years, the 17-minute two channels film compares trance, acts of penance and rituals. Weaving between histories and contrasting understandings of religious processions, the film throws a question at the audience: How do we build religious harmony in increasingly fragmented societies?

*World Premiere*
Foul Ball (2018, dir. Kayue Li)
15 min | No Dialogue | Rating TBA
A determined boy attempts numerous rounds of base-running at a dilapidated baseball pitch, striving for a desired timing.

Despite progressive improvement, different obstacles came his way – the weather, an injury, his fatigue, and finally the unthinkable happened, leaving him in hopeless disposition where the purpose of his pursuit is questioned.

Tenebrae (2018, dir. Nicole Midori Woodford)
16 min | Mandarin with English subtitles | G
Based on the real-life historic building Pearl Bank Apartments in Singapore. This short film revolves around the last day before this landmark residential building is demolished to make way for a new condominium, a young girl and her mother are moving out. She explores the abandoned spaces of her neighbours, reminiscing. As they leave, the young girl allows a ray of light to penetrate the darkness of the truck. The image of the building appears on the interior of the truck briefly before vanishing forever.

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About Singapore Shorts ’19

SINGAPORE SHORTS ’19 is an annual showcase celebrating the best and the most promising local short films. A critical platform for excellence and diverse thought in moving images, the selection is overseen by a panel of respected professionals across Singapore’s film industry. Alongside screenings of the selected cinematic works, the programme will also feature post-screening discussions with the filmmakers and dedicated reviews from critics.

The 2019 edition will also include a special section of older titles curated by local playwright Alfian Sa’at from the Asian Film Archive’s collection.

For the full programme line-up, please visit here.