Regional flicks to catch

The 4th Southeast Asian Film Festival

Don’t miss compelling cinematic works from the region when the 4^th Southeast Asian Film Festival (SEAFF) comes to town this month. This festival offers up a host of regional gems that deserve more attention than your typical (read: bland) Hollywood flick.

Zoom in
This year, SEAFF takes a huge bite out of reality by focusing on docu-style storytelling. Almost half of the festival’s lineup will comprise documentaries by up-and-coming directors from Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Get first dibs on viewing some of these films since 20 of them are premiering right here.

A River Changes Course

Gritty truths
Real life and real struggles in this rapidly developing region dominate the screen. Be inspired by the lives of 3 young Cambodian women in A River Changes Course, which won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Indonesian film Denok and Gareng centres on a young couple’s hardships as they try to support their family and continue managing their pig farming business.

Blurring reality
Reality gets a refreshing twist in the festival’s offbeat offerings. Death – a reality that all must face – is the invisible protagonist in Malaysia’s KIL, about a depressed young man who employs the services of the Life Action Bureau to help him move into the afterlife. The distinctions between two parallel worlds are blurred in Shakespeare Must Die, a Thai horror flick banned in its home country. One film, Mister John, hits close to home (and pays homage to cult classic Saint Jack). It’s a tangled tale about family and fidelity and stars top local actress Zoe Tay.

The Act of Killing

Authentic dialogues
Loved what you saw? Grab the chance to tell the director(s) at post-screening discussions for selected films. Those making an appearance include Mikhail Red (of inception-ish film Rekorder) and Joshua Oppenheimer (of The Act of Killing, which explores the relationship between political violence and public imagination). Oppenheimer’s film has won multiple awards, including the BAFTA for Best Documentary Film.

The 4^th Southeast Asian Film Festival runs from Friday, 11 April to Sunday, 4 May at the Moving Image Gallery, SAM at 8Q, 8 Queen Street, Singapore 189555. Tickets are $10 per screening ($8 for students, senior citizens and NSFs). Available now on SISTIC. Visit the SEAFF website for more info.

Main image: KIL Facebook
Other images: A River Changes Course Facebook, The Act of Killing