Believe in home

Support local – watch three minute long films. We’ve already introduced you to some young filmmakers you should watch, but even the most established of the lot have had humble beginnings. Short film competitions are where aspiring filmmakers make their debut and hone their craft – we bring you the Favourite Film Nominees for the third season of ciNE65. 

ciNE65 is already in its third instalment and it’s time for you to vote for your favourites. Out of the 230 entries that were submitted for this year’s theme, “Believing ● Home”, they’ve already selected the nominees! 

I watched all 10 films nominated for ciNE65’s Favourite Film Award, and highlighted the best points of each. If you have the time, give them all a try. You might be surprised by our homegrown filmmakers.

-Favourite Film Nominees-

1. Home Brewed

Also nominated for: Favourite Actor (Huang Shi Nan as Adult Ah Leong)

Once we step out into the working world, our lives consume us, leaving little time to catch up with old friends. But sometimes fate steps in and reintroduces us to childhood friends – much like Ah Leong and Siew Jie, who prove that the awkwardness from all the years spent apart is easily overcome by the strong bonds of friendship.

Ultimately, it’s a story about class differences and life lessons. The message is a little in-your-face, but it’s heartwarming all the same. 

2. Blk 401

Produced by Ngee Ann Poly and Singapore Poly students, Blk 401 is a snapshot of life in a coffee shop, or kopitiam, as the narrator reminds us. If you miss your local kopitiam, this will unleash a flood of memories.

3. Dedication

“There’s so much to say about your ah gong”, begins the film. Another student offering from NUS, the film is chock full of artefacts and memorabilia. This film stands out from the rest, being composed mainly of powerful still pictures accompanied by a voiceover. It’s a little too static for my taste, but history buffs may find the insights it provides interesting.

4. Our Promise, Our Belief

It’s Benjamin’s big day – he’s getting married! He chooses to dedicate a speech, and his time, to two of his best buddies, which proves that people of different races and cultures can get along. The time Benjamin dedicated to his buddies on his wedding day might have caused Benjamin’s new wife some jealousy, but the message behind this short film is clear – Singapore’s racial harmony makes it home.

5. Unwavering

Unwavering is enjoyable in its simplicity and meaningful in its subtlety. It’s sad, but shot beautifully – the camera angles are amazing and the production value is really good for a short film.

It’s a pity that it starts off slow, because if I were more sentimental, this film would be a tearjerker. I shouldn’t spoil it, but you should definitely watch until the end!

6. SEEING

We experience the life of a visually handicapped man as he overcomes daily struggles despite his disability. The intention is noble, to highlight the people we might overlook and commending Singaporeans’ graciousness in helping the less fortunate.

7. Wet Market

How many of us don’t appreciate our parents enough? Through a conversation with a fruit seller at the wet market, Ethan begins to understand the sacrifices his mum makes for him. Wet Market gives us a glimpse of this uniquely Singapore fixture through rose-coloured glasses, preserving its interpersonal quality before wet markets are inevitably phased out.

8. Sightless

Temasek Poly students bring us Sightless, a tale of a young boy and his dad. Throughout his childhood, the boy sees his dad leading by example and he learns to be kind, thoughtful and not to mess with durians. The pace of the film is slow, but it’s worth a watch with your dad this Father’s Day.

9. Home-made

This is a film for the gastronomically inclined. Try to resist the sizzle of oil – you can almost taste that indescribable wok hei taste. Joey enters a cooking competition longing to recreate the homey taste of his grandmother’s cooking and discovers that his grandmother has already told him the ‘secret ingredient’. The cinematography is stunning, but the script gets clunky at times.

10. Family Heirloom

The film I’m definitely voting for is Family Heirloom. I find it refreshing, partially because it’s a documentary, and partially because the subject matter is really interesting. The film explores three businesses that have been passed down through the ages, part of their heritage preserved even until today.

It’s admirable that the owners still take so much pride in their family businesses – it’s a tangible link to their past that I’m frankly very envious of.

-Special Mentions-

1. VOTE

Nominated for: Favourite Actor (R. Sommasundram as Rajan) and Favourite Actress (N. Anchalai as Pushpa)

To en-bloc or not en-bloc? When it’s time to vote for or against the en-bloc sale of their flat, Rajan and Pushpa’s conflict embodies the age-old debate that every Singaporean faces in our rapidly-changing society – should we embrace modernity and move forward, or should we preserve our heritage and memories? 

Three minutes is sadly too short to explore the themes fully, but this short film features excellent acting from the two main characters. Rajan and Pushpa’s relationship feels very real and despite their disagreements, their mutual regard for each other is palpable.

2. Homeground

Nominated for: Favourite Actor (Le Shiong as Andrew)

 
“Cab queue kena cut! What a start to Monday…” Andrew from Homeground is basically all of us – some days start off terribly and we deal with our frustrations by updating our social media accounts accordingly.

Although it’s comforting to know that everyone has awful Mondays too, Homeground takes it one step further and reminds us that others have it worse – stop being selfish and help out your fellow man! 

Believing home – you won’t be leaving home

Start supporting local today – other than these entries, there are so many more short films that have been submitted for this competition, and even more local short films out there. If you’re interested, you can explore the sgfilmchannel on Youtube, or head to Viddsee for more!

Vote for your favourite short film!

There are 10 contenders for Favourite Film, and 6 each for Favourite Actor/Actress. Voters stand to win GoPro Hero 4 cameras, a one-night hotel staycation, movie vouchers and Universal Studios Singapore Day Passes, so here are two ways to vote from 15 May to 11 June 2015:

1. Vote via www.cine65.sg (Facebook login required)
2. Vote for your choice via an SMS to 76677. Each person is allowed to vote for one Favourite Film, one Favourite Actor and one Favourite Actress. Standard SMS charges apply.
   Format : Cine65 <space>TSL<space> Choice <space> NRIC <space> Name
   Example:  Cine65 TSL FF1 S1234567A Alvin Tan

This post was brought to you by ciNE65.