Singapore Ambassador H.E. Yip Wei Kiat, second from left, and Korean movie director Kim Han-min, center, pose during the special screening event at the Total Museum of Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Embassy of the Republic of Singapore |
By You Soo-sun
The Singapore Embassy in Seoul hosted a film screening event at the Total Museum of Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Wednesday.
The event, held jointly with the Seoul/Singapore Open Media Art Festival, was organized to showcase movies and introduce the Singapore art scene to Korean audiences.
Diplomats, educators, cultural critics and Singaporean artists participated in the event, according to the Singapore Embassy.
A collection of short Singaporean films, "7 Letters," was presented, consisting of seven short films made by renowned Singaporean film producers with the support of Singapore's Info-communications Media Development Authority.
The collection was created in 2015 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the country's independence, according to the Singapore Embassy.
Each of the seven films touched upon subjects of love, tradition, culture and identity.
K. Rajagopal's "The Flame" for example, focuses on a historical moment that awakened a sense of national identity in Singapore. Drawing from his own experience, Rajagopal depicts a conflict that arises in a family when one member is offered British citizenship right before the U.K. military withdrawal from Singapore.
"Parting," by Boo Junfeng, was shot inside the Tanjong Pagar train station, which served as the main gateway between Singapore and Malaysia for 90 years. Here, an elderly Malaysian crosses the border into Singapore in search of his first love, illuminating both love and history of the period.