It’s all about the films and the parties this week. Oh, and if you’re bummed that you missed out on cheap tickets to Japan to see cherry blossoms, you’ve lucked out. Singapore has its own sakura festival and it’s only gonna be around for a short period of time so, you snooze, you lose.
Friday, Mar 23
Sakura Matsuri
FESTIVAL
Why fly to Japan when you can see blooming sakuras in Singapore? This month, Gardens by the Bay is holding its first ever Japanese festival Sakura Matsuri (or Cherry Blossom Festival) over at Flower Dome; featuring 23 different varieties flown in from Japan and Europe. Through Apr 8
TOUR
It’s one thing to take a walk through hell at Haw Par Villa during the day, and a whole other experience if you go at night. The twilight tour of Haw Par Villa is back—check out the infamous 10 Courts of Hell, King of Ghosts, the upcoming Hell’s Museum and the Aw family memorials. Mar 23
FILM/PARTY
Head down to The Projector and catch If I Think of Germany At Night, a documentary that will give you a glimpse of German’s profound electronic music scene, home of some of the greatest techno producers in the world. A special after party follows, where one of the DJs in the documentary will be helming the decks. Mar 23
HEALTH
Calling all Star Wars fans who’re looking for a way to stay in shape—sign up for a SaberFit Fitness Class at Safra Toa Payoh, where you can reap the benefits of a full-on, high energy workout while living out your lightsaber-wielding and -fighting dreams. Mar 23
FESTIVAL
The inaugural True Colours Festival, the largest Asia Pacific celebration of artistes with disabilities in the region, will bring together 20 artistes and troupes in over 30 performances, as well as a free-admission outdoor festival village with activities educating on disability. Check out our interview with local deaf dancer and choreographer Muhd Ammar Nasrulhaq here. Through Mar 25
EXHIBITION
If you fancy yourself a cinema enthusiast, the Singapore Art Museum’s latest exhibition Cinerama: Art and the Moving Image in Southeast Asia is a must-go. In a series of immersive, multi-medium installations, the exhibition brings together the works of 10 artists and art collectives from across the region. Here are five you should check out. Through Mar 25
FESTIVAL
Celebrate all things French at at Alliance Francaise’s Francophonie Festival. This year, they’ve teamed up with the French, Belgium, Canadian and Swiss embassies to bring you the best of Francophone culture through four conferences, nine premiere films, two workshops, an exhibition and a concert. Through Mar 28
FESTIVAL
Your favorite sustainable light art festival is back this month. i Light Marina Bay 2018 will once again bring together a vibrant display of innovative and sustainable light art installations. Artists from Singapore and around the world have been invited to transform the waterfront precinct for a visual showcase, along with music performances, a carnival, outdoor food fair and an interactive art inflatable park. Through Apr 1
FILM
Not all films are just about entertaining. Enter Stories That Matter, an annual program held by Objectifs to address critical issues through both film and photography. This third edition’s theme is borders, tackling matters of physical, social and political borders that both define and restrict communities and laying out on the table possible ways of collaboration and change. Apart from exhibitions and seminars, this program will also be screening Singapore premieres of five documentaries. Through Apr 29
Saturday, Mar 24
Tinariwen
CONCERT
Tinariwen, a Saharan blues group made up of Tuareg musicians from a tribe in the Sahara Desert region of northern Mali, is making their debut in Singapore at the Esplanade Concert Hall. Their music is rooted in traditional Tuareg style, combined with the sensibilities of music greats the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Bob Marley. Besides their enthralling blues grooves, they also take pride in commanding stage presence and great showmanship as they perform songs of political awakening, repression, sovereignty, problems of exile and the continuous political conflict in their hometown, in traditional outfits and Tagelmust turbans. They’ve come a long way since their formation in 1979, and earned themselves a Grammy for their record Tassili in 2012. Mar 24
PARTY
Your favorite dynamic duo weelikeme & KiDG are back for their iconic Poptart night of indie-flavored everything, from The Strokes to The xx, at Kinki. Get your dancing shoes ready. This time, they’re back at their old spot where they spent their formative years at Mad Monks, which then became Home Club, and now, Canvas. Mar 24
FILM
Catch the 1990 Tim Burton classic, Edward Scissorhands, at your favorite outdoor rooftop joint, The Great Escape, and be in awe all over again as Edward falls in love with Kim against all odds. An after party follows the screening, complete with a picnic-style BBQ. Mar 24
PARTY
Berlin based DJ-producer Cinthie will be taking over the decks at Kilo Lounge this weekend. She’s gone from spinning at clubs as a teen in the ’90s to becoming a prominent figure in the German capital’s house scene. Apart from being a resident at [IPSE] and Humboldthain Club where she plays vinyl-only sets, she also owns and manages the “Stasi Studios” complex. Mar 24
FILM
Baz Lurhmann’s 1996 intepretation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet was a fun, unconventional and modern adaptation that stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Dane playing the breakout roles of Romeo and Juliet. If you’ve never seen it, head over to Canvas and immerse yourself in the classic love story of star-crossed lovers set against the urban backdrop of Verona Beach. Mar 24
TOUR
OH! Open House is no stranger to immersive art experiences. Since 2009, the company has garnered a name for itself—for its art walks and tours that go deep into unexplored neighborhoods, and illuminate the heritage of the place from inside people’s homes. This year, however, OH! takes to Emerald Hill, for a provocative discussion of Singapore’s relationship with colonialism. Mar 24-25
DRINK
If you’re into collecting one-of-a-kind bottles from some of the world’s most exceptional wineries and distilleries (and imbibing them, of course), you’ve probably already heard of DFS Group’s annual gathering of distillers, oenophiles and aficionados of spirits, the Masters of Wines and Spirits, which will take place at The Warehouse Hotel over the weekend. Mar 24-25
FOOD
Some of JW Marriott’s best chefs around the world will be descending upon the JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach for Taste of JW, an indulgent weekend supper and performance. They’ll be presenting a five-course meal that incorporates elements of visual storytelling and music to bring you an immersive dinner experience you won’t soon forget. Mar 24-25
EXHIBITION
On the 75th anniversary of the fall of Singapore, the National Museum of Singapore remembers 1942, with their first large-scale, blockbuster war exhibition featuring more than 130 artefacts from 10 overseas museums and institutions. It’s the biggest collection of war stories to date, but go because the exhibition explores events and portrayals of World War II beyond just your textbook syllabus. Through Mar 25
FILM
For a full month, catch award-winning Hollywood movies that celebrate great women and talented actresses at the Screening Room. Black Swan, The Iron Lady, The Blind Side, Sister Act, and Elizabeth – The Golden Age will be on rotation through March. Through Mar 31
CARNIVAL
Get your adrenaline pumping at Singapore’s largest carnival. The massive Prudential Marina Bay Carnival will span across 25,000 sqm (or the size of three and a half football fields) at The Promontory and Bayfront, and boasts more than 40 rides and games—most of which are from the UK, Germany and Italy. Through Apr 1
THEATER
Hot on the heels of The Imaginarium of Disco David, local nomadic theater group And So Forth is back with a new pop-up feast planned. Adventures in Grimmsneyland will focus on the darker sides of fairy tales—as evidenced by the reference to the Brothers Grimm, whose folk tales were anything but pleasant—and take audience members through various worlds. Through Apr 21
EXHIBITION
You’d think a traveling exhibition from the London Natural History Museum would be hard to top, but ArtScience Museum’s upcoming shtick will trace 40 years of street art, from its controversial beginnings as expressions of counterculture, to its current standing as a major pillar of contemporary art. Art from the Streets will feature the works of the world’s top street artists, such as Magda Danysz, Banksy, Shepard Fairey and more. Through Jun 3
Sunday, Mar 25
A piece by Lee Mun Choong at Hail, Chinese Culture!
EXHIBITION
Singapore’s most esteemed disabled artists exhibit oriental works in a series of three parts at Hail, Chinese Culture!, organized by local charity organization Very Special Arts Singapore and Pan Pacific Singapore. Through Mar 30
PARTY
Keep vibin’ all through to Sunday as Camp Kilo Charcoal Club returns with Soul Vibe Sundays: The International Edition. From 2pm, catch Japanese reggae crew Shockdem88 play an all-vinyl live set, alongside Singapore’s very own Ollie Des, DJ Justo, DJ Ken Ito (of Lion Steppaz). Southeast Asia’s Queen of hip hop and reggae Mas1a will be on MC duty too. Oh, there’s also a vendor’s market curated by Mind + Mortar and #sneakerflea. Mar 25
FILM
Hearts all over the world melted on Valentine’s Day in 2012 when romance drama The Vow, starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams, was released. Relive the moments again at Hood Bar and Cafe, as the film—based on a true story—follows Leo who tries to win the heart of his wife after she loses five years of her memories after a car accident. Mar 25
ART
We’ve already seen a insiders’ look at Jurong, but the upcoming bi-annual Arts in Your Neighbourhood (AYN) returns this March and will spotlight the northside heartland of Ang Mo Kio. AYN celebrates its 10th anniversary in this neighborhood with nearly 50 activities, a third of which will draw inspiration from this district’s rich history. Through Mar 25
EXHIBITION
A cursed gem, a dodo and a giant stuffed sloth walk into a museum; the punchline is that they’re here to stay till the end of April. Treasures of the Natural World , the traveling exhibition from the Natural History Museum in London, makes its first and only stop in Southeast Asia at the ArtScience Museum, bringing over 200 of the London museum’s star artefacts Through Apr 29
