The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) will be leading 34 Singapore media companies to the 19th edition of the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), bringing over 180 hours of film and TV programmes. 

 

The Singapore delegation offers content from a wide range of genres – romance, drama, comedy, television documentaries, lifestyle travelogues, to food and cultural programmes, appealing in particular to Asian audiences. 

 

These will be showcased at the Singapore pavilion at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre from 23 to 26 March 2015. 

 

 

Singapore media companies will showcase titles timed for release with Singapore’s 50th Jubilee celebrations this year. These titles not only discuss topics that are identifiable to Singaporeans, they also portray themes such as family relations, filial piety, and a strong national identity, that the Asian audience can relate to. 

 

 

1965, co-produced by Blue3 Pictures and mm2 Entertainment, tells the riveting stories of immigrants and natives during the years leading up to Singapore’s independence. The film portrays heightened human drama relating to the magnitude of history unravelling, as its protagonists become caught up in a society divided by racial violence. 

 

3688 is a comedy and musical directed by Singapore filmmaker Royston Tan that follows a parking attendant’s journey to become a singer like her idol Fong Fei Fei. It is his first feature film in seven years, after the music-themed 12 Lotus in 2008, and embodies the filmmaker’s dedication to his father – hence its targeted release date to be set before 21 Jun (Father’s Day in Singapore). 

 

Also slated for release this year is Lulu The Movie (Huat Films Pte Ltd), where Singapore actress, host, film director and media personality Michelle Chong reprises her role as one of Singapore’s most popular TV characters from hit comedy series The Noose. Taking the form of a mock documentary, it narrates Lulu’s adventures in learning English and her journey of self-discovery in Singapore and around the world. 

 

Singapore content with a focus on China −

 

Understand modern day China better through China Close-Up 2, produced by Chow Wai Thong. The documentary tells the country’s untold everyday stories on love, life and longing. 

 

Route Awakening is a TV programme that follows Harry Yuan, an American Chinese athlete with a penchant for adventure, sports and organic food, as he explores the less-visited landscapes of China. 

 

Food travelogue Halal Galore-China, filmed entirely in China by Monstrou Studios, sheds light on an often-faced situation by Muslim travellers in non-Muslim countries − the lack of Halal-certified food. The show aims to broaden their food choices and discover tastier options. 

 

 

Other content highlights include Singapore’s box-office record breaking movie Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen, a movie about young men serving in the Singapore Armed Forces’ elite Naval Diving Unit. As of 18 March, Ah Boys to Men 3’s box office earnings crossed the S$7 million mark. The popular franchise introduces a new character Hei Long, played by Hong Kong actor Wesley Wong, the son of veteran stars Melvin Wong and Angie Chiu Nga Chi. The film’s co-producer mm2 Entertainment will also be making a significant announcement at the Singapore Pavilion on 24 March. 

 

Other notable film titles include King of Mahjong, a comedy that pitches Singapore’s well-known comedian Mark Lee opposite his Hong Kong counterpart Chapman To and A Fantastic Ghost Wedding, a drama-comedy also starring Mark Lee and popular Hong Kong actress Sandra Ng, centered on a mother’s search for the rightful bride for her son. 

 

TV titles on showcase include Jump Class, a Mandarin series about a young boy looking to break the monotony of his school routine and Days of Disaster, a documentary which charts momentous events including a plane hijack, massive fire and industrial catastrophe that shaped modern Singapore.