MALAYSIAN TIGER TO ROAR IN SINGAPORE
“Tiger Stripes,” the Malaysian coming-of-age, body horror film that debuted in Cannes’ Critics Week section has been set as the opening title for this year’s Singapore International Film Festival (Nov. 30 – Dec. 10). Directed by Amanda Nell Eu, the film is a multinational coproduction that involved Singapore-based Fran Borgia and Akanga Film.
A handful of other Singaporean titles have also been teased by the festival, which will not make its full lineup announcement until Oct. 25. Three will play in competition: “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” directed by Jow Zhi Wei; “Dreaming & Dying,” directed by Nelson Yeo; and “Last Shadow at First Light,” directed by Nicole Midori Woodford.
Veteran local director Kelvin Tong will also launch his “A Year of No Significance.” The film takes audiences back more than 50 years to Singapore in the 1970s, when a Chinese-educated architect is forced to navigate the cross-roads of his career in an ever-changing workplace, language barriers, and father-son relationships.
BOYS LOVE
Hong Kong’s O4 Media has inked a deal to handle the global distribution of ground-breaking documentary, “Boys Love: Thailand’s BL Revolution.” The documentary feature delves into a genre that is redefining romance dramas, that portraying romantic relationships between two male protagonists, typically created by women and primarily tailored for a female audience.
It has become a significant phenomenon in Thailand and East Asia’s entertainment industry, with many ‘BL’ dramas and novels captivating audiences worldwide, particularly young women. The film is produced by Lennox & Ooi Media, led by husband-wife duo Aaron Stewart and Lynn Ooi. “While the BL genre has existed for decades, Thailand’s creators have reinvented the wheel. They’ve pioneered a unique formula that’s redefined the Asian entertainment industry, leaving an indelible mark on Thailand’s cultural landscape. What was once a niche genre has transformed into a cultural powerhouse, rivalling the fervor seen in K-pop,” said the pair.
‘SUZUME’ REVIVAL
Shinkai Makoto’s animated blockbuster “Suzume” will return to North American theaters for a special engagement beginning on Friday, Oct. 27. Sony Pictures Entertainment will release Crunchyroll’s“Suzume”in over theaters across the U.S. and select cities in Canada. The film will be available both in Japanese with English subtitles and dubbed in English.
Young Suzume and her companion, a talking chair, race to protect the world from impending disaster, guided by a mischievous cat. Inspired by the filmmaker’s observations in the wake of the 2011 earthquake that devastated Japan, the anime action adventure is a combination of hand drawn and CGI animation. It released in Japan at the end of 2022, had its international premiere in competition at the Berlin film festival and went ton to gross over $300 million at the global box office.
MULTI-PLATFORM HEROES
Netflix, Prime Video and India’s public broadcaster Doordarshan will all air “Bharat Hain Hum,” an animated series that pays tribute to the unsung heroes of India’s freedom struggle.Crafted by Munjal Shroff and Tilak Shetty and produced by the Central Bureau of Communication and Graphiti Studio, the series will encompass 26 episodes in Season 1, each featuring a 11-minute narrative. The series will premiere on Oct. 15 in 12 Indian and seven international languages, it was announced by Information and Broadcasting Minister and Minister of Sports Anurag Thakur.
Every episode will have popular characters Krish, Trish, and Baltiboy — previously renowned from the acclaimed KTB Movie series, embarking on dialogues that delve into the tales of the unsung heroes.
CHANNELLING CHARLES
Sports entertainment platform, DAZN has appointed Charles Ma as head of media rights sales (APAC) amongst a number of appointments designed to further strengthen its Broadcast Partnerships Division.DAZN is known globally for its direct-to-consumer product built on deals with Bundesliga, LaLiga, NBA, NFL, Premier League, Serie A and UEFA. However, it also has a channels distribution business, with DAZN involved in ventures covering rights sales, production and marketing in partnership with top tier rightsholders such as FIBA, WTA and the IPL. DAZN also has global and multi-territory women’s football rights, including UEFA Women’s Champions League, WSL, LigaF, Frauen Bundesliga and NWSL.
Aviv Giladi, president, DAZN broadcast partnerships, said, “DAZN is growing in all aspects of its business as rights holders recognize our ability to use technology and network of relationships to deliver exceptional reach, quality, and value. Adding people of the caliber of [Ma] to an already strong central function will add further capabilities, increasing value for sports media rights holders.”
ALULA CREATES WINNERS
Saudi film agency Film AlUla has revealed that Hana Alfasi, Maram Taibah and sisters Raneem and Dana Almohandes are the winners of the inaugural Alula Creates: Film Program, a platform designed to “nurture creativity and empower future generations in film.”
The winning submissions were chosen for their “strong, innovative storylines, experimental treatment and robust direction,” Film AlUla said. Featuring universal themes set against the cultural milieu of Saudi Arabia, the winning submissions “pushed boundaries in subject matter and approach.”
Alfasi’s social commentary on mental health, the Almohandes’ live-action musical about human identity, and Taibah’s tale of female empowerment and independence steeped in magical realism offered “refreshing takes on issues at the heart of the human experience through innovative techniques.”
The winners were chosen by a selection committee composed of Saudi director Haifaa Al Mansour (“The Perfect Candidate,” “Wadjda”), James Richardson and Jane Moore of Vertigo Films (“Monsters,” “Britannia,” “Bronson”), and Roua Almadani of Film AlUla.
The first phase of the mentorship kicked off with a series of workshops in AlUla, helmed by mentors Al Mansour, Richardson and Moore, to help the young filmmakers develop their concepts into a 10-minute short film, aided by grants of $20,000 each from Film AlUla. They will also be working with Alia and Abeer Olaif of Atelier Hekayat, and Arwa Al Ammari of ArAm – the Saudi fashion designers selected as part of the first phase – to design and create costumes that bring their stories to life.
The filmmakers will also be flown to London to learn about the international marketplace, meeting with key sales, distribution, post and VFX companies, with each of the filmmakers also being supported through submissions to local and international film festivals.
