The tender, impassioned drama Wet Season by Singapore writer-director Anthony Chen will open the 30th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) on 21 November 2019 at Capitol Theatre. The introspective feature was the sole Asian entry in competition at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival’s Platform competition, and marked the first time a Singaporean film was selected for the section.
Wet Season has also received six nominations in this year’s Golden Horse Awards including Best Narrative Feature, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
A bated sophomore feature after Chen’s Camera d’Or-winning Ilo Ilo (2013), Wet Season continues with the contemporary theme of unlikely friendships, burrowing under the skin of a restless, budding Singapore.
Set during the monsoon season, the double character study follows the plight of a Malaysia-born Chinese language secondary school teacher, Ling (starring independent film veteran and Best Actress nominee for the 56th Golden Horse Awards, Yeo Yann Yann), and her curious, self-affirming relationship with a student, Wei Lun (starring Koh Jia Ler, who was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 50th Golden Horse Awards for his performance in Ilo Ilo and a contender for Best Supporting Actor this year).
Executive Director of SGIFF Yuni Hadi
commented, “Over the years, Singapore filmmakers have brought their dreams
across the globe, anchored on resonating stories of home, or steadfast tales
with Singaporean sensibilities at their core. It is meaningful for us to open
the 30th edition with a Singapore film.”
Wet Season is Chen’s second
directorial feature after the award-winning Ilo
Ilo, which was recognised by forty awards internationally, including four
Golden Horse Awards at the 50th Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan. He has also
directed multiple award-winning short films, including Ah Ma (Grandma) (2007), which was nominated for the Palme d’Or for
Short Film at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, and for a Golden Bear (Short Film)
at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival.
Sharing on Wet Season as the opening film of SGIFF, Anthony Chen said, “It makes me so happy to premiere Wet Season to Singapore audiences at SGIFF especially in its milestone 30th edition. The Festival remains at the heart of Singapore and Southeast Asian cinema, and I treasure this opportunity to be sharing my film journey with a community that has encouraged and nurtured me right from the beginning.”
The 30th SGIFF will run from 21 November to 1 December 2019. The full Festival line-up and ticketing details will be announced on 22 October 2019. For more information, please visit www.sgiff.com
Images courtesy of Giraffe Pictures 2019
