It looks like there will be lots of film to catch during The Singapore Art Week’s as it’s not just about art exhibitions. There are tons of films for arthouse movie buffs too. From nerdy art history documentaries, a Swedish film festival and a screening of work by local filmmakers, here’s what you shouldn’t miss.
Sign Painters Film Screening (Jan 14)
Image Courtesy of Sign Painters Film
Typography nerds, unite at this screening organized by the DesignSingapore Council. At this screening of Sign Painters (NC 16), this documentary shines the spotlight on sign painters from the US and how they keep the craft alive. Prior to this, there’s also a talk by creative Mark De Winne (of design firm Ong & Ong and typography-led studio The Relay Room), as he speaks about the role typography plays a role in Singapore’s history and culture.
State of Motion (Jan 16-17, 23-24)
Those who are well acquainted with the Cathay-Keris film studio in Singapore know that it was famous for producing spine-tingling, black and white pontianak films back in the ’50s and ’60s. Now, the Asian Film Archive has organized State of Motion, which takes you back in time to the filming locations of these movies. The tour starts at the National Library building, and ventures to kampongs in Siglap, the old Outram Prison and Queen Elizabeth Walk. These scenes are from old school movies like Chinta Kaseh Sayang (My Darling Love, 1965), Mat Tiga Suku (Mat Crazy, 1965) and, of course, Sumpah Pontianak (The Curse of Pontianak, 1958). There is also site specific artwork created by artists Hafiz Osman, Mark Thia and Mike HJ Chan, and more. National Library, $12.
Art week at The Projector (Jan 16-24)
The Projector is showing a film series about art and artists for Singapore Art Week, ranging from modern artists like Matisse. In Rembrandt—From The National Gallery and Rijksmuseum (Jan 17, 18, 23), we get to know what makes the artist tick after analyzing his artwork, while Matisse—From Tate Modern & MoMA (Jan 16, 21 and 24) is about his famous cut-outs, which are part of his late work. You can also watch Vincent van Gogh, a New Way of Seeing (Jan 16, 22 and 24), where critics interpret and explain his work. The Projector, $10.
Swedish Film Festival (Jan 28-31)
Force Majeure
Organized by The Projector, The Embassy of Sweden and The Swedish Institute, this film fest features movies made mostly from 2010 and beyond. Catch Force Majeure (Jan 28), which is about how an avalanche challenges the dynamics of a family on a skiing vacation in the French Alps—the film won the Jury Prize in Un Certain Regard in the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. Other highlights include Trespassing Bergman (Jan 30), in which famous filmmakers like Ang Lee and Zhang Yimou talk about the legacy of famous Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman and how his vision has inspired them. The Projector, $10
Spirits of Cinema (Jan 23)
Kopi Julia
This event will be screening the work of the local film collective 13 Little Pictures, with work that ranges from experimental to horror. Some films to note include Silent Light by Liao Jiekai, which was shot in 16mm, and Kopi Julia by Tan Bee Thiam, which pays tribute to Malay horror films of the ’50s. LaSalle College of the Arts, free.
