As Singaporeans, we often clamour after a colourful, yet conflicted identity. Our sense of belonging has been a natural, yet awkward consequence of post-colonial independence, strict authoritarian nation-building, and a passionate pursuit for good ethnic cuisine. When we travel we still have to explain to the sometimes-less-enlightened that we aren't 'a part of China' or 'Malaysia' or 'Thailand' - though we are near enough, but not quite. Not really.
We are a young country of many different origins meshed together in a small space. In some ways, we're still quite lost, still grasping at straws for our own stories, among our fellow countrymen, among our communities, and among our families. Technology and globalisation are widening the gulf between generations. The daily grind we call work is pulling us away from our children.
Our stories, when people can afford to tell them, have never been as disparate.
It's my pleasure to present these six films by six very talented young filmmakers, whose voices present a small but diverse palette of the Singaporean identity. You'll travel from the eyes of migrants both new and old, to children and military men finding their places in the world, and even to a cleverly self-aware local film set.
I sincerely hope that you will enjoy this selection, many of which I think represent the new voices of filmmaking in Singapore today. Much kudos also goes to Brian, Clara and the rest of the Creative SINergy team for giving me this opportunity. Goodness knows how hard they've worked to bring this to you today.
David Shiyang Liu
July, 2012
David Shiyang Liu curates the 6th edition of PROJECT: slingSHORT
PROJECT: slingSHORT
Saturday 28th July, 3.00pm
17 Dorset Square, London, NW1 6QB
