The second edition of Painting With Light is on right now at the National Gallery Singapore, once again showcasing some of the world’s most thought-provoking films. Held from 5 to 28 October, the festival brings together regional and international filmmakers as well as film and art fans under one roof.
Eager to find out what this year’s festival will offer visitors, we spoke to Ms. Suenne Megan Tan, Director for Audience Development and Engagement at the Gallery, and the Festival Director of Painting with Light.
This will be the second edition of the festival. What did you personally set out to do with the Festival this year?
Following the success of the first edition of Painting with Light, we wanted to continue to use the storytelling power of film to facilitate conversations on the role of art and museums in offering new perspectives to critical issues in society today.
This year we have put together a line-up of more than 30 films that does just that. There is also a Special Focus section that allows us to take a closer look at the challenges of transition, migration and displacement, and the role art plays in shaping new realities in the face of these issues
We hope that through the festival and its accessible entry point to art, audiences will be able to develop a critical mind towards enjoying and appreciating art, and also get a deeper understanding of the power of art to transform and bring about new realities.
What was the main takeaway from the previous festival and what were the lessons you took from that, and did you set out to do things differently for this year’s festival?
We realised that audiences here appreciate films that challenge their understanding of the world around them. We have received feedback last year that the audience enjoyed the film selection and the post-screening discussions, suggesting a growing appetite for such films as well as the issues that they cover.
Our Special Focus section is thus informed by the topic of displacement as a central topic to many of today’s most critical global debates.
We believe that the films and the discussions they bring about will strike a chord with our audiences, inspire meaningful conversations, and ultimately a foster a more thoughtful and inclusive society.
How was the film selection process and are you happy with the selection that will be screened?
During the curation process, we anchored on films that would facilitate conversations about the role of art and museums in offering new perspectives with regards to important issues around the world.
There is a diverse range of films this year. They range from thought-provoking documentaries such as Berlin-based Brazilian visual artist Karim Ainouz’s Central Airport THF about the stories of the asylum seekers at one of Germany’s largest emergency shelters; to light-hearted comedy such as the Vietnamese movie The Tailor by Kay Nguyen and Tran Buu Loc’s which showcases the beauty of the modern ao dai (traditional Vietnamese garment) through the adventures of a young heiress of a traditional fashion boutique.
We think that everyone in the audience will be able to find a film that they would enjoy at the festival.
Were you surprised by the wealth of talent especially from this part of the world?
There is definitely a good pool of talent in the region, and we are proud to offer them a platform to showcase their works at the festival to a wider audience.
Filmmakers from the region have unique aesthetic, as can be seen from Kamila Andini’s The Seen and Unseen, which draws from various elements of Balinese culture, such as shadow-play, song, and dance.
Through these regional works as well as works by other international artists, we hope to give our audiences a better understanding about cultures and issues around the world.
What are you looking forward to personally for this year’s festival?
I’m looking forward to speaking with the artists and directors who will be at some post-screening dialogues to learn more about their practice.
We will also organised a public forum on 6 October with filmmakers Kamila Andini and John Clang, as well as historian Dr Mohamed Effendy to explore cultural notions of performative spirituality and displacement surfaced in the films.
I look forward to establishing new connections with audiences by exposing them to films they may not normally get to see otherwise, and engaging them to think critically about global issues that can have an impact on them.
Catch Painting Of Light: Festival of International Films of Art 2018 at the National Gallery Singapore until 28 October.
