Our Stories, Well Told: Animation Saturday

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Singapore Film Commission (SFC), Our Stories, Well-Told aims to bring Singaporeans closer to local cinema by celebrating Singapore’s filmmakers, inspiring budding film talent and growing appreciation for local films. Catch free screenings of 25 acclaimed Singapore films and shorts at Esplanade during Red Dot August.

Bervyn Chua's The Last Stop centres on a lone commuter, trapped in a speeding train, who has to push against the force of its speed and escape before the train crashes.

In Huang Junxiang and Jerrold Chong's Piece of Meat, a lamb cutlet—enslaved in a surreal world of living objects—does whatever it takes to make ends meet.

In The Violin by Ervin Han, an old violin graces different stages of Singapore over 80 years, its music bearing witness to a young country's transformation.

Ser En Low's Poles Apart is set in a harsh Arctic landscape, where a hungry and solitary polar bear has to decide if a naïve Canadian grizzly bear is food or friend.

Henry and Harry Zhuang, The Tiger of 142B, adapted from Dave Chua’s short story of the same title, is about the tension between a young unemployed man and his girlfriend, as a series of mysterious killings unsettles the residents of Block 142B.

Ang Qing Sheng's Kua Bo (Hokkien for “cannot see”) is about an elderly man, affected by a cataracts, who refuses to acknowledge the problems with his vision.

Finally, Anthony Chen's Ilo Ilo is a sensitive, slow-burn drama set during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, about a foreign domestic worker and the Singapore household she finds herself in.

Piece of Meat

Enslaved in a surreal world of living objects, a lamb cutlet does whatever it takes to make ends meet. 

Duration: Approximately 12mins 
 

About Jerrold Chong 

Jerrold Chong graduated with a BFA in Animation at California Institute of the Arts. He was awarded the National Arts Council’s prestigious Young Artist Award in recognition of his achievements and distinguished body of work. His films have screened at numerous international film festivals, including Singapore International Film Festival, Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival in Bristol, Animatricks Animation Festival in Helsinski, Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo and Bucheon International Animation Festival in Korea. In 2015, his film Nascent was awarded the Best Animation Award at Singapore Short Film Awards. His animated short Piece of Meat premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and Annecy International Animated Film Festival. He is co-founder of independent animation studio Finding Pictures. 

About Huang Junxiang 

Huang Junxiang enjoys a good comedy and is grateful to be able to pursue a career in filmmaking. His short film, Give Yourself a Chance, received an award at the Very Short International Festival 2012. His second, I Will Die, screened at Singapore International Film Festival 2014. He has proceeded to produce a number of feature films including In the Room (Toronto 2016), Apprentice (Un Certain Regard 2016), Ramen Teh (Berlin Culinary Cinema 2018) and Buffalo Boys (Fantasia Film Festival 2018). 

A Finding Pictures Film 

Based on a short story by Eric Khoo

Directed by: Jerrold Chong & Huang Junxiang 
Animation by: Jerrold Chong & Mark Wee 
Production Design: Lee Jiaying 
Sound Designed by: Kazz 
Executive Producer: Sha Kamil 
Produced by: Eric Khoo, Huang Junxiang, Jerrold Chong 
 
Original Music by: Kevin Mathews- “Just Apéritif” 
Song by: Christine Sham 
Performed by: Rachel Cheng Xue Ying 

Animation Assistant: Nicole Danielle-Francis 
Production Interns: Zhou Min Yuan, Zhou Xuan Le, Ben Tan Kai Xiang, Tan Xinlong 
Mastering Services by: Mocha Chai Laboratories 
Post Producer: Jo'ssy Koh 
Colorist: Mark Song 
Sound Enginee: Sng Ye Min 
Mastering Specialist: Ani Hoo 
Mastering Assistant: Victoria Anasarias Chew 

Special Thanks: Andre Quek, Rachel Ho, Chai Yee Wei, Bert Lighting House 

The Tiger of 142B

A young unemployed man finds himself having difficulty in communicating with his girlfriend. As he struggles to cope with his fragile state of mind, a series of mysterious killings unsettles the residents of Block 142B. Some claimed to have seen a tiger roaming at the estate. Adapted from Dave Chua’s short story The Tiger of 142B from the book The Beating and Other Stories. 

Duration: Approximately 11mins 

About Henry & Harry Zhuang 

Henry and Harry Zhuang pride themselves as animation storytellers and believe that each type of animation technique can help enhance the story in its own unique way. Having received a scholarship from the Media Development Authority, both Harry Zhuang and Henry Zhuang hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degrees from Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design and Media. Their first independent short film Contained received the Best Animation prize and Special Mention for Best Sound at the 2nd Singapore Short Film Awards in 2011. Their next independent short film, The Tiger Of 142B, premiered at the Zagreb Animafest in the Grand Competition category. It travelled to festivals such as Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan), and won Best Film in SEAShort Film and the Rising Talent award in Beijing’s China Independent Animation Film Forum. Their short film Ju Ren and animation series Little Tami’s Book was in competition in the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival. 

Cast: 
Audrey Lim as Girl Genie 
Michael Kwah as Guy Kevin 
Ranga Perera as Hunter 

Directors: Harry and Henry Zhuang 
Executive Producers: David Lee and Eternality Tan 
Sound Designer: Roger Low 
Associate Producer: Lee Junyi 
Music Composer: Pamela Ng 
Animators: Harry Zhuang, Henry Zhuang 
Assistants Animator: Angel Chong, Gabriel Tng, Cassandra Siew, Enge Xue 
Audio Recording: Beep Studios 
An offering of: Singapore Writers Festival 
Presented by: National Art Council 
Produced by: The Filmic Eye 

The Violin 

An old violin graces different stages of Singapore over 80 years. Its music bears witness to a young country's transformation—from the bustling 1930s to the dark days of the Japanese Occupation, followed by the political awakening in the 1960s that led to its independence, and finally, the present day. 

Duration: 16mins 

About Ervin Han 

Ervin Han is co-founder of Robot Playground Media. An 18-year veteran in the animation industry who has produced and directed over a dozen series and short films, Ervin hopes to help elevate Southeast Asia animation as a well of talent, craft and stories for a global audience.

Credits: 
Writer & Director: Ervin Han 
Producer: Ervin Han, Bernard Toh 
Music: August Lum 
Violinists: Selwyn Koh, Lee Shi Mei 
Art Director: Nicholas Poon 
Animation Director: Bernard Toh 
Sound Design: Kenji Zhuang 
Storyboard & Character Design: Lee Kok Wei 
Production Manager: Rachel Phang 

The Last Stop

A lone commuter, trapped in a speeding train, has toescape before it crashes into the last stop. 

Duration: Approximately 3mins 

About Bervyn Chua 

After spending seven years in the animation field and a decade abroad, Bervyn has a drive to create homegrown themed shorts with global appeal. His CG films have won awards in locally and internationally. 

Credits: 
Lead Lighting Artist, Technical Artist, Clothing Simulations: Yip Jin Sheng 
Lead Animator, Lead Character Artist Phua Jun Ting Alvin 
Technical Artist, Lighting Artist: Rodolfo Barcelli
Technical Director, Environment Artist: Wong Weian Martin
Director, Animator, Editor:Bervyn Chua 

Kua Bo

In the Chinese dialect of Hokkien, Kua Bo (看瞴) means "cannot see". Affected by cataracts, 60-year-oldTat Chuan has problems with his vision which he refuses to admit to or treat. It is only after a huge blunder of seeing the lottery results wrongly that he willingly but timidly goes for cataract surgery.

Besides being an animated comedy about a common medical condition among seniors in Singapore, this film teases out the value of "face" in Chinese culture. 

Duration: Approximately 12mins 

About Ang Qing Sheng 

Ang Qing Sheng is an artist-educator at the Puttnam School of Film & Animation, LASALLE College of the Arts (Singapore). He holds a Masters of Arts in Arts Pedagogy and Practice from Goldsmiths-LASALLE and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons) in Digital Animation from Nanyang Technological University. 

As a filmmaker, he has received support from LASALLE, the National Arts Council, Infocomm Media Development Authority and SCAPE to produce animated short films. 5 Shades of Solitude was produced for Utter 2015 as part of the Singapore Writer's Festival. Lak Boh Ki, the world's first Hainanese animated short, won the Audience Choice Award and Judges Special Prize at the International Digital Animation Festival NAGOYA, Excellent Award at Asiagraph 2016 in Tokyo as well as the Singapore Gold Award at the 19th Digicon6 ASIA. Kua Bo, a Hokkien animated short film, won Best Animation at the Singapore National Youth Film Awards 2020 and the Silver Award at the 22nd Digicon6 ASIA Singapore. Traffic Light was the winning animation pitch at the inaugural Film Facilitation Programme organised by SCAPE, and won the Singapore Gold award at the 23rd Digicon6 ASIA. 

Cast: 
Ang Sek Lam: Ang Tat Chuan 
Wife: Jenny 
Auntie 1: Lim Hong Choo 
Uncle 1: Ang Siak Hwee 
Auntie 1: Joanne 
Counter Lady: Tan Lay Yan 
Tricycle Boy: Jarrent Heng 
Tricycle Boy: Jarius Heng 
Nurse: Rocell Alejo 
Doctor: Martin Chan 
Boy: Tan Sheng Zhe 
Girl: Chang Ying Xuan 

Voice: Ang Sek Lam, Jenny, Lim Hong Choo, Ang Siak Hwee, Joanne, Tan Lay Yan, Jarrett Heng, Jarius Heng, Rocell Alejo, Martin Chan, Tan Sheng Zhe, Chan Ying Xuan

Music: Jessica Tam
Art: Khin Yupar Maung, Fanny Bratahalim, Ang Qing Sheng,Jamin Wu
Background: Marcus Soh Yong Jie, Ang Qing Sheng
 
Animation: Khin Yupar Muang, Sarah Cheok Ling Fay, Jennifer Chua Zi Qi, Goh Ying Qi, Jamie, Yao Zi Fang Febby, Ang Ying Wen, Teo Shun Ting Sharlene, Morrie Tan Shu Zhen, Loh Ke Hua, Lim Zhen Xiang Christopher, Muhammad Yusri Bin Muhammad Yusof, Audrey Halim, Hong Brian Jaehyung, Yeung Boaz Yik Ki, Fatimah Maghfirah Binte Razman, Kimberlyn Kiew Miao Foong, Shreya Sarma, Man Yu Chun (Christine)
 
Lighting: Ansh Sirohi, Marcus Soh Yong Jie, Lim Zhen Xiang Christopher, Ang Qing Sheng
 
Special Thanks: Chris Shaw, Wolfgang Muench, Natasha Lushetich, Karen Cheok, Chloe Teng Mei Yen, Khalid Al Mkhlaafy, Wesley Leon Aroozoo, Alan Rudge, Dr David Chan, Lim Hui Ying, Wong Jing Yun

Samsung “LED TV Commercial” 

Jeow Lee Lin, Jenny Jeow, Lester Wong, Tan Xian Jing, Jeow Mui Hwa, Woong Xiu Yan 

Screenplay: Ang Qing Sheng, Jamin Wu
Producing: Jamin Wu
Direction: Ang Qing Sheng 

Poles Apart 

In a harsh Arctic landscape, a hungry and solitary polar bear has to decide if a naïve Canadian grizzly bear is her food or her friend. 

Duration: Approximately 12mins 

About Low Ser En 

Ser En is a filmmaker and entrepreneur from Singapore, the first BAFTA and Annie-winning filmmaker in the country. She has produced numerous award-winning live-action and animated short films, including Poles Apart starring Helena Bonham Carter. Ser En's passion for innovation led her to co-found tech startups Sendjoy and Mecenia, empowering creators worldwide. She holds a BFA in Filmmaking with First Class Honours from Nanyang Technological University and an MA in Producing from the National Film and Television School, garnering accolades as an Outstanding Young Alumni and a Prestige 40 Under 40 honouree. 

Cast and Crew Credits 

Director/Writer/Animator: Paloma Baeza 
Producer: Ser En Low 
Cinematographer: Jon Muschamp 
Production Designer: Paula Giménez 
Editor: Zsófia Tálas 

Sound Designer: Morgan Muse 
Composer: Hollie Buhagiar 
Colourist: Alex Davis 
VFX Supervisor/Lead Compositor: Gillian Simpson 
CG Supervisors: Shivani Shah, Ollie Brummell 
Production Manager: Florencia Casas 
Production Coordinator: Sophie Halton 
Puppets Fabricated by: Mackinnon and Saunders 
Animators: Alex Crowley, Nuria Bataller, Paloma Baeza, Joanna Brooks 

Cast: Helena Bonham Carter, Joseph May 

Ilo Ilo

Set in Singapore, against the backdrop of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Ilo Ilo chronicles the relationship between the Lim family and their newly arrived maid, Teresa. Like many other Filipino women, she has come to this city in search of a better life. Her presence in the family worsens their already strained relationships. Jiale, the young and troublesome son, starts to form a unique bond with Teresa, who soon becomes an unacknowledged part of the family.

Duration: 1hr 39mins 

About Anthony Chen 

Anthony Chen is an award-winning writer, director and producer from Singapore.

He became the first Singaporean to receive an award at Cannes with short film Ah Ma in 2007. His debut feature Ilo Ilo (2013) was awarded the Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, followed by 40 awards internationally including four Golden Horse Awards.

His sophomore film Wet Season (2019) was nominated for the Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival. Both films were Singapore's official submissions for the Academy Awards. 

Drift marked his English-language debut and premiered at Sundance in 2023. The Breaking Ice is his first Chinese-language film made in China, and premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes the same year. 

As a producer, he produces out of his Giraffe Pictures outfit based in Singapore. Films he has produced include Singapore filmmaker Kirsten Tan’s Pop Aye (2017) which won at Sundance, He Shuming’s feature debut Ajoomma (2022) which premiered in competition at Busan and Thai director Sorayos Prapapan’s debut feature Arnold is a Model Student (2022), which competed at Locarno. 
 

Cast 
Hwee Leng (Mother): Yeo Yann Yann 
Teck (Father): Chen Tianwen 
Maid: Angeli Bayani 
Jiale: Koh Jia Ler

Discipline Master: Peter Wee 
School Principal Jo Kukathas 
English Teacher (Mrs Ong): Naomi Toh 
Fat Boy: Delwin Neo 
Mother's Colleague (Lisa): Jo Kwek 
Jimmy Hog: Gim Goh 
Salon Owner Pamela Wildheart 
Hairdresser: Judee Bendiola 
IT Manager: Donovon Lee 
Subordinate: Michael Chua 
Job Interviewer: Michael Foong 
Provision Shop Owner: Elvin Leong 
Grandmother: Yeo Siew Khim 
Elder Brother: Kelvin Ho 
Elder Sister-In-Law: Kelly Lim Lt 
Elder Sister: Elena Chia 
Elder Brother-In-Law: George Chew 
Younger Sister: Zelda Tatiana Ng 
Younger Brother-In-Law: Goh Leng Yong 
Younger Brother: Ricky Ong 
Younger Brother's Girlfriend: Georgia Fun 

Crew 
Director: Anthony Chen 
Screenplay: Anthony Chen 
Producers: Ang Hwee Sim, Anthony Chen, Wahyuni A.Hadi 
Director of Photography: Benoit Soler 
Art Director: Michael Wee 
Assistant Director: Charlotte Lim 
Editors: Hoping Chen, Joanne Cheong 
Sound Designer: Zhe Wu 
Associate Producer: Huang Wenhong 
Executive Producers: Anita Kuan, Gina Lau, Ivan Tan, Leong Sze Hian, Ng Aik Hock