Singaporean footprints in Hong Kong, March, 2010

Escaping the fickled weather in Singapore to cooler air were a large group of Singaporeans. To be precise, they were in Hong Kong for 3 major film related events - the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), The Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum and the HK Film Mart.

Ironically, it may be occasions and foreign locations like these that allow us to bond. Back home, everyone is just on work mode. And in a foreign place, carrying the Singapore flag certainly holds more meaning. The 'contingent' consisted of the following : At the HKIFF, a group of filmmakers from 13 Little Pictures showcased Red Dragonflies (Liao Jiekai) and Memories of a Burning Tree (Sherman Ong). The Blue Mansion by Glen Goei was also screened. At the HAF Financing Forum, Tan Pin Pin was pitching for 'The Arrival', Ekachai Uekrongtham was pitching for 'Chang and Eng' and Sherman Ong for 'Betok'. A bevy of other names were stirring up foreign interest at the HK Film Mart. They included Cheng Ding An, Tay Bee Pin, Fran Borgia, Gavin Lim, Juan Foo, Lillian Wang and Yuni Hadi.

According to the Rotterdam International film festival, Singapore is one of Southeast Asia's hot beds of independent filmmaking, being increasingly prolific. Will people start to recognise the semblance of a 'Singapore wave'? We already made a mark in Rotterdam having a record 11 films screened. This is the second big outing. As far I know, the Asian Berlin Hot Shots Film Festival will turn its spotlight on Singapore this year! The Singapore International Film Festival's offering of local works may be paltry, but hey, at least we are brewing a storm beyond our shores.

Getting chummy over yummy...Pin Pin (at far end in white) looks engrossed in something

Dai Pai Dong style dining... Pin Pin and the guys from 13 Little Pictures look up for a picture

Jiekai's profound half-smile

Lung Chieh getting ecstatic over a Jean-Luc-Godard rare find

The 'dark horses' of the 'Betok' team at HAF

Bee Thiam (in suit) and Sherman (in checked shirt) planning their next moves

Pin Pin stands in front of her 'mock poster' for 'The Arrival'... I am curious why the words are flipped

Communal feeding of HK Film Mart-ers

Fran Borgia's stocisim

Ding An dallies with TVB

A legendary guest

Bee Pin looks stumped like a kid who's been told the freebies are out of stock

After the dust settles, we pick up our cameras and start again...