Michael Chua Evening of Short Films

I would like to thank Lasalle School of the Arts; James Khoo from Pangolin Films; Osman from Hijrah Films; Chef Jeremy Cheok; Harvaraj from Lion City Film Studios; Marrie and the Reel Frenz;  the film producers and directors who are so generous to allow me to screen their films; and most of all the seventy or more of you whom had taken time to attend the event on a Saturday evening.

I have received very positive feedback about the films and some are already asking for another screening. I will organise another one, probably in six months' time, as I am doing all these amid my productions, scripts and shoots. It also takes time to request for the films and the  permission to screen, converting them to mp4, testing them out in the theatre, getting the theatre itself, organising the catering, publicity and registration. 

Some of the comments received were:

"Awesome acting!! 2 thumbs up!! Thanks for organizing ."  
--- Calvin Huang

"Good acting from the cast and the scripts explored a spectrum of society issues. Thought-provoking, touching and insightful. Thank you very much to Michael and all the assistants who helped organise and make yesterday's screening a success!" 
--- Emily Woo









"Generally well organized, get to see film clips completely different from the cookie cutter style comercial films. Displays how budget films attempts to wow audiences with subtle messages that address bigger issues in life"
--- Larry Lim


"I really enjoyed the short films - interesting, touching, entertaining.....Looking forward to the next screening. Thk u Michael for organising it."
--- Sally Teo

"It was a wonderful evening with a mix of talent and art from the film fraternity accompanied by the actor himself. Great work and an even humble and down to earth person. Michael truly was the star of the evening:). FABULOUS WORK! ! Looking forward to the next meet up."
--- Sankeshwari Deo

There is a French man in the audience who said that he was surprised that there are such entertaining and inspiring films made in Singapore, particularly so as he didn't think that there is a film industry here.

The next screening will likely be a smaller one with a more selective audience, according to their interest in films and their being punctual. Some of the very late comers in this screening will be banned. In the next screening I will lock the door when the screening start. Those who registered and did not turn up this time will also be banned.  You have been warned.

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Finally, I got my act together to choose eleven short films out of the 150plus productions I have been in over the last three years. Then I had them converted to mp4 format and tested out. Alas...

This wil be a once in a long while screening of the short films I have acted in. This screening has been requested by many of my friends, but something which I have procrastinated for about two years. So here you are...

This event is FREE, but registration is necessary. RSVP here and ALSO email your name, email address and mobile phone number to jupilier1@gmail.com .

Seats are very limited, so please change your RSVP well ahead of time if you cannot turn up, so that we can re-allocate them to others. Those who fail to do so will be banned from future screenings.

Date: 15 February 2014 (Sat)

Time: 4.30pm to 8pm

Venue:

Room F208, Lasalle College of the Arts,  

1 McNally Street, Singapore.
187940

Registration will start at 4.30pm
Screening will start at 5pm.
Q&A at 6.45pm.

Mix and mingle after that.
Light snacks, tea and cold drinks will be served.
Courtesy of Lion City Film Studios and my banker brother. The food will be catered by my good friend Chef Jeremy Cheok, whom I befriended during the Secret Supper Club days.


LIST OF FILMS

We only have time to screen eleven films as that will already take close to 90 minutes.
For more write-ups about some of the films and others, please refer to other articles in this blog.

1. Dinner


Directed by Heng Le, Winner of Open Category, 180 Short Film Competition 2013, organised by Singapore Media Academy.
Actors: Michael Chua, Kelly Lim and Ezekiel Chee.

A security guard is a father and also like a superman to his son. (In Mandarin, 2 mins 18 secs)

 
2. Godverdomme Coffee
 

Directed by Eric Eloffson. 
Actors: Michael Chua & Sjors Wijers.

A Dutchman's last wish to have his cup of coffee before death row. (In English, 9 mins 47 secs)

 

3. Change

Directed by Leon Tai. 
Actors: Michael Chua, Karen Tan & Horsey Hui. 
A beggar is a beggar until he comes in handy in times of need. (In English, 8 mins)

 


4. Last Wish
 

Directed by Jeah Goh. Actor: Michael Chua & Sean Goh. 

About the final reconciliation of father and son.(In Mandarin, 10 mins)

 




5. Detour

 
Oirected by Michael Kam. Nominated in 4 categories of the 5th Singapore Short Film Awards - Best Fiction, Best Director, Best Performance (Michael Chua, Presley Lim & Yolby Low) and Best Script. Screening in competition at the 13th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short & Animation Films over in India from 3 to 9 Feb '14.

On a hot sunny afternoon, a father and two restless siblings stuck in a traffic jam took a detour that leads to a misfortune that the family struggles to come to grips with... For more details, click here. (In Hokkien, 7 mins 22 secs)

6. Anniversary


Directed by Joseph Hsu. 
Actors: Michael Chua & Aki Masabayashi.
  
On a visit to the cemetery, a man catches a girl stealing flowers he laid on his wife's tomb. For more details, click here. (Silent, 4 mins 19 secs)

 
 
7. Stitched


Directed by Paul Tang. 
Actors: Michael Chua, Dora Teo & Phumtida Kiatthat. 
Horror befalls a father and his daughter after the former deserted his pregnant girlfriend in Thailand.(In Mandarin and Thai, 10 mins)

 


8. Reunion
 

Directed by Joseph Hsu. Grand Prize (Student Category) 1st Taiwan Weifilm Festival (2013).
Actors: Kelly Lim, Low Heng Joo, Jiayi Wang & Michael Chua

A family is compelled to an awkward revelation during a Chinese New Year Reunion dinner... (In Mandarin, Hokkien and English, 10 mins)

 
9. Gift

Directed by Daniel Yam. 
Actors: Jim Koh, Jon Tay, Michael Chua, Yoro Tan Yuan Chong. A touching story about a karunguni man, exemplary father and generous soul...For more details, click here. (In English, 7 mins 32 secs)

 
  
10. Hentak Kaki


Directed by James Khoo. Winner of Silver Screen Award (Short Films) at the 24th Singapore International Film Festival (2011).

Actors: Michael Chua and P Muruganandan
 
Winner of Best Performance and nominated for Best Director and Best Script at the 3rd Singapore Short Film Awards (2012).

"Hentak Kaki" is one of the few local short films that have gone viral on the Internet and even gotten the mainstream press attention. It is currently the most popular video (by far) on viddsee.com

2nd Warrant Officer Teck Hong served his entire life in the army, but now finds himself needing to make a pivotal decision to continue serving in the army or leave and face the harsh reality of life outside. (In English/Singlish, 10 mins)

11. Deviant Ink

Directed by Brett Rogstad. 
  
A defiant teen, her tattoo and her motivation. (In Mandarin, 10 mins 21 secs)

 




Total: 88 min 39 sec

The Nasty Bits

Here are some nasty bits they asked me to do on set... This one plays the beggar at a urine stinking corner in Chinatown. It is a pity that cameras cannot capture smell.

This one is for a scene in Jack Neo's "We Not Naughty". The most painful part was not having to be sprayed upon, but rather the need to over-act.

This one is for Suria TV's "Nine Lives" drama, coming soon to a TV near you.

It is not as difficult as it looks. You just have to get used to seeing the world upside down and going underwater for a few seconds at a time, blowing out bubbles from your nose. The hardest part was to play dead at the end - motionless enduring the discomfort of the water flowing into my nose.

They planned to have a stunt man for me, but he was too small and it was hard to disguise and match. So I did it myself - (thankfully) in one-take. More about "Nine Lives" in another post.