CONTENTSpg 6

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7 LETTERS

A FANTASTIC GHOST WEDDINGILO ILO

RED DRAGONFLIES

LOCATIONS & MEDIA SERVICES

HITMAN: AGENT 473688

SINARAN

TANJONG PAGAR RAILWAY STATIONTanjong Pagar railway station used to be the main passenger station for Singapore-

Malaysia trains ran by Malaysian rail operator Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM).

Opened in 1932, the station building is a fine example of modern architecture with

neoclassical and Art Deco influences. Its key feature is a 21.6 m high vaulted space

above the main waiting hall which creates an impressive public civic space. On its

front facade stand four heroic sculptures representing the four sources of wealth

of Singapore and Malaya - Agriculture, Commerce, Transport and Industry. The

railway station was gazetted in 2011 as a national monument in recognition of its

architectural and social significance.

Stock Image Stock Image

Representing seven heartfelt love letters to

Singapore on its golden jubilee, 7 Letters

captures poignant personal connections to

Singapore from seven of Singapore’s most illustrious

directors in an omnibus of short films.

The historic Art Deco style Tanjong Pagar Railway

station embodies the yearning and regret of an elderly

Malay man who travels by the now-defunct Singapore-

Malaysia railway to look for a long-lost love in Parting.

Cavenagh Bridge, the oldest bridge in Singapore still

standing in its original form, is the setting for an old

filmmaker’s chance encounter in Cinema.

A stunning black and white bungalow, once home

to European expatriates in Southeast Asian British

colonies, takes centrestage in The Flame where

director K. Rajagopal recollects life in Singapore

after British withdrawal.

PRODUCED BY Chuan Pictures

DIRECTED BY Boo Junfeng, Eric Khoo, K Rajagopal, Jack Neo, Tan Pin Pin, Royston Tan, Kelvin Tong

GENRE Various

FILM IN FOCUS

7 LETTERS

“I’ve always wanted to be able to film at Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. Having it as part of 7 Letters is meaningful - since the film commemorates Singapore’s independence and the railway station was a point of connection between Singapore and Malaysia.“

Boo Junfeng, Director for ‘Parting’, 7 Letters

Parting

Historic emblems of Singapore’s past

SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | 7 LETTERS 76 SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | 7 LETTERS

COLONIAL STYLE BLACK AND WHITE BUNGALOWSBlack and white bungalows are white-painted bungalows that

were once commonly used to house European expatriate

families in the Southeast Asian colonies of the British Empire

in the nineteenth century, including Singapore.

CAVENAGH BRIDGE OVER SINGAPORE RIVER

Cavenagh Bridge, a Singapore

River crossing located in central

region, was built in 1868. The

suspension bridge which used

to be a ferry crossing is now a

pedestrian bridge, linking the

cultural district at the north

bank and the commercial

district (Raffles Place) to the

south of the Singapore River.

The world-class Fullerton Hotel,

historically known as Fullerton

Building, is sited right beside the

Cavenagh Bridge.Image Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board

Cinema

The Flame

Image Courtesy of Singapore Land Authority

The Flame

Image Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board

“The Cavenagh Bridge is an iconic landmark in Singapore. I remember running on the bridge as a boy, trying to catch glimpses of the bumboats below. With the beautifully lit buildings as a background, it presented a perfect canvas to place the protagonist where he is seeking a moment of solace.“

Eric Khoo, Director for ‘Cinema’, 7 Letters

“We chose this location for the film as it was historically relevant and appropriate to the story. The film was set in an old black and white bungalow in the early seventies in Seletar Air Base. The space became an important character in the film.“

K Rajagopal, Director for ‘The Flame’, 7 Letters

SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | 7 LETTERS 98 SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | 7 LETTERS

Aleksander Bach, Director

“When I heard we had the opportunity to shoot in Singapore and that it had never really been featured on the big screen, I went there a year before to scout it. And, wow, Gardens by the Bay - I had never seen these views before. That’s why I chose it for this core emotional scene where a character sees her father again.“

GARDENS BY THE BAYGardens by the Bay is a world-class leisure attraction

with a botanical and horticultural theme. It is Singapore’s

vision of creating a City in a Garden, and has garnered

multiple awards for its landscape, architecture and

climate change adaptation.

Gardens by the Bay showcases diverse plant life

from around the world, ranging from species in

cool, temperate climates to tropical forests

and habitats. Its key features include the

iconic Supertree walkway where Hitman:

Agent 47’s lead actress and her father

were captured.

Image Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board

Hitman: Agent 47

Hitman: Agent 47’s titular character is a genetically

engineered assassin who teams up with a young

woman, Katia, who holds the secret to defeat their

mutual foes.

Based on the popular Hitman video game franchise, the

action-packed thriller is set among Singapore’s futuristic urban

structures, such as the ultra-modern Terminal 3 of the Changi

International Airport, frequently voted one of the world’s best

airports, and the greenery-covered concrete curves of Marina

Barrage, Singapore’s largest water catchment. The awe-

inspiring Supertrees and mystical Cloud Forest of the Gardens

by the Bay, a sprawling 101-hectare green space in the heart

of the city, provide the backdrop where Katia reunites with her

father amidst lush tropical foliage.

PRODUCED BY Fox International

DIRECTED BY Aleksander Bach

GENRE Action, Thriller

FILM IN FOCUS

HITMAN: AGENT 47

Garden city in a futurist ic urban landscape

10 SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | HITMAN: AGENT 47 SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | HITMAN: AGENT 47 11

CHANGI AIRPORTWith over 500 awards under its belt,

Singapore’s Changi Airport is the world’s

most awarded airport, and frequently

named the World’s Best Airport. It is

one of the world’s busiest airports

by international passenger traffic

and cargo traffic.

MARINA BARRAGEThe Marina Barrage is a dam built at

the confluence of five rivers, across the

Marina Channel between Marina East

and Marina South. The facility is also

a showcase for Singapore’s push to

be a greener country. The Solar Park

at the Marina Barrage features one of

the largest collections of solar panels

in Singapore, with over 400 panels

providing electricity needed for lighting

in the gallery and offices in the barrage.

Image Courtesy of Changi Airport Group

Image Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board

Image Courtesy of Public Utilities Board

Hitman: Agent 47

Hitman: Agent 47

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“Dakota Crescent was chosen because it was the first generation public housing that was built in Singapore and as it will be disappearing soon we decided to document it in our movie.“

Karen Khoo, Producer

DAKOTA CRESCENTDakota Crescent is one of

Singapore’s oldest housing

estates. It was built in the

1950s before Singapore’s

independence. The estate

exudes an old-school

charm with its 1950s

architecture.

3688

3688

3688 3688

One of Singapore’s oldest public housing estates

dating back to the 1950s, Dakota Crescent

lends an old-world charm to 3688 that tells the

story of Fei Fei, a single 38-year-old parking attendant

who dreams of becoming a singer while she takes

care of her aging, dementia-stricken father. The pop

colours and retro details of the blocks of flats and the

neighbourhood kopitiam (coffee shop) create a film

universe tinged with nostalgia – an ode to Dakota

Crescent before its imminent redevelopment.

PRODUCED BY Chuan Pictures, mm2 Entertainment

DIRECTED BY Royston Tan

GENRE Drama, Comedy

FILM IN FOCUS

3688Old-school heartlands

SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | 3688 1514 SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | 3688

A light-hearted and energetic Malay-language

musical, Sinaran follows Shila, a college freshman,

as she joins a dance group and gradually falls in

love with the charismatic Andre, a fellow dancer. Shila and

Andre’s romance takes them to the enchanting MacRitchie

Reservoir Park, a green sanctuary surrounding the serene

waters of Singapore’s first reservoir. The couple is also seen at

Bussorah Street in Singapore’s ethnic Malay district Kampong

Glam.

PRODUCED BY Sinaran Pictures, Shooting Gallery Asia

DIRECTED BY Osman Ali

GENRE Drama, Musical

FILM IN FOCUS

SINARAN

BUSSORAH STREETNamed after an Arabian city,

Bussorah Street lies within the

heart of Kampong Glam.

Kampong Glam attracts

people from all walks of life

with its rich culture, colours

and delicious cuisine.

Many of Singapore’s “first

generation” shophouses of

squat two-storey buildings,

with one or two windows on

the upper floor facade, are

found here.

Sinaran

Sinaran

Sinaran

Sinaran

Sinaran

Romantic Spots In The Heart Of The City

Kevin Chin, Producer

“We wanted to invoke an “old school” feel to the scene where the lead actor and actress fall in love. Bussorah Street was perfect with its narrow streets and rows of old but well-preserved shophouses which provided much ‘character’ to the film.“

SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | SINARAN 1716 SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | SINARAN

SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | SINARAN 1918 SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | SINARAN

LITTLE GUILINBukit Batok Town Park, also known as Little Guilin or Xiao Guilin, is said to resemble the Guilin

in China - a granite rock sitting within a lake. Towering rock cliffs make a majestic backdrop

to the lake. The park is beautifully landscaped for leisure walks along the lake. Two dome-

shaped shelters offer park goers a fantastic view of the tranquil lake.

Sinaran

Sinaran

Image Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board

MACRITCHIE RESERVOIRMacRitchie Reservoir is Singapore’s oldest reservoir

and was completed in 1868. It is nature’s playground

for those who love the outdoors, with a network of trails

and boardwalks winding through the forest around the

reservoir and a 250 m suspension bridge spanning the

two highest points in MacRitchie.

Image Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board Image Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board

Sinaran

“Little Guilin was selected because we needed a park that had a romantic feel. At the same time, the combination of the greenery, water and rock formations is very distinct and offers interesting camera shots.”

Brandon Siow, Producer

need high res

KEONG SAIK ROADKeong Saik Road is located within

a conservation area known as

the Bukit Pasoh Conservation

Area, which lies on the outskirts

of Singapore’s Chinatown. The

buildings in the area are largely

two and three-storey shophouses

in transitional and Art Deco

architectural styles.

The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM)

presents Singapore’s ancestral

cultures, with artefacts that span the

entire Asian continent and over five

thousand years of recorded history.

It is located at the historic Empress

Place Building, a neoclassical

Palladian style architecture that

was constructed in 1864-65

as a city courthouse

and subsequently used

as government offices

until the late 1980s.

“Asian Civilisations Museum was chosen because of its classic colonial style architecture and big lobby which we dressed up to depict a hotel in a style similar to Raffles Hotel.”

Flora Goh, Producer

ASIAN CIVILISATIONS MUSEUM

A Fantastic Ghost Wedding

A Fantastic Ghost WeddingImage Courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board

Chinatown, the lively cultural enclave of the ethnic

Chinese in Singapore, is where the story of a young

spirit medium tasked to find a wife for a dead teenage

boy unfolds. A series of rollicking adventures through the

streets of Chinatown ends with a Chinese ghost wedding that

takes place in the Asian Civilisations Museum. Housed in the

old Empress Place Building, the museum is a striking colonial

structure. Mirroring the museum’s focus on pan-Asian cultures

and civilisations is its location along the iconic Singapore River,

the birthplace of Singapore’s multi-cultural society.

PRODUCED BY Scout Pictures

DIRECTED BY Meng Ong

GENRE Drama, Comedy

FILM IN FOCUS

A FANTASTIC GHOST WEDDING

A melt ing pot of cultural heritage

SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | A FANTASTIC GHOST WEDDING 2120 SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | A FANTASTIC GHOST WEDDING

“The housing estate fits the era the film was set in, which was the late 90s.“

Anthony Chen, Director

PUBLIC HOUSINGPublic housing is built and managed by

Singapore’s Housing Development Board

(HDB). The housing estates are self-contained

satellite towns with schools, supermarkets,

medical clinics, hawker centres, and sports

and recreational facilities. Over 80% of

Singapore’s population live in public housing.

CHOA CHU KANG CEMETERYLocated in the west of the island, it comprises

the Chinese, Christian, Ahmadiyya Jama’at,

Muslim, Parsi, Bahá’í, Jewish, Hindu and Lawn

cemeteries. It is currently the only burial

cemetery in Singapore.

ILO ILO

ILO ILOILO ILO

Public housing estates are truly the heartlands of Singapore,

and the setting of many family dramas. The gracefully

aging Tampines, the largest residential area in Singapore,

developed in the 1970s and 80s, provides a poetic mise-en-

scene for Ilo Ilo. It is a heartfelt story centred on the relationship

between an unruly nine-year-old boy Jiale and his Filipina

domestic helper and care-giver Teresa.

Choa Chu Kang Cemetery, the biggest and only remaining

burial cemetery in land-scarce Singapore, is one of many

familial yet evocative places where Jiale’s family works through

their domestic troubles in a film that won the Camera d’Or prize

at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013.

PRODUCED BY Fisheye Pictures

DIRECTED BY Anthony Chen

GENRE Drama

FILM IN FOCUS

ILO ILOSolace and solitude in famil ial spaces

SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | ILO ILO 2322 SINGAPORE, ON SCREEN | ILO ILO

“I used to hike this railway track when I was in high school, and my memory of passing through many different scenes of Singapore while trekking on the tracks was the main impetus for the making of the film. I want to bring the audience on an adventure into the woods; a Singapore that people don’t usually see.“

Liao Jiekai, Director

OLD JURONG RAILWAY TRACKThe now-defunct Jurong Railway line is a

hidden extension of the former Keretapi Tanah

Melayu (KTM) railway tracks, the main railway

operator in Malaysia. Since its closure in 2011,

the Jurong Railway Track has attracted visitors

and shutterbugs, and has formed part of the

running routes for many marathon runs. Some

highlights of the Jurong railway track include

the almost pitch-black train tunnel, barely

visible tracks hidden beneath thick vegetation

and undergrowth and the Truss Bridge above

the Ulu Pandan Canal.

Red Dragonflies Red Dragonflies

Previously a key transport link to transform the

undeveloped west of Singapore into an industrial

hub, the Jurong Railway Line, launched in 1966, now

remains as forgotten sections of broken train track and rusty

railway signs. The abandoned railway track running through

dense forest is explored in Red Dragonflies by Rachel and

her two friends, who retrace the trail of iron and wood when

a little boy from her past reappears. Their journey also takes

them through the colourful sights and sounds of a pasar

malam (night market), a makeshift space that captures the

transience of childhood dreams and collective memories.

PRODUCED BY 13 Little Pictures

DIRECTED BY Liao Jiekai

GENRE Coming of age

FILM IN FOCUS

RED DRAGONFLIES

PASAR MALAMPasar Malam is a Malay

word that literally means

‘night market’. A pasar

malam is a temporary

street market that

opens in the evening,

usually in residential

neighbourhoods.

Stock Image

Off-the-beaten track uncovered

Red Dragonflies

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