Tan refuses the status quo
Film-maker shines spotlight on grittier side of Singapore
By Ian Grayson
For CNN
Monday, May 1, 2006 Posted: 0214 GMT (1014 HKT)
Royston Tan speaks last March in Deauville, France, during the
presentation of his film "4:30."
(CNN) -- With its gleaming office towers, spotless streets and
affluent population, Singapore prides itself as a model of economic
and lifestyle success.
Under the watchful eye of its conservative government, the small
city-state has blossomed into one of the most powerful commercial
centers in the Asia-Pacific region. Thanks to this, residents enjoy
a standard of living the likes of which those in nearby countries
can only dream.
Singapore's strong economic and conservative social environments
make the work of Royston Tan particularly interesting. The young
film-maker has risen to international prominence by shining a light
on some of the less palatable areas of Singaporean society.
In 2003 Tan released "15," a feature-length film that follows the
lives of a group of youths living on the city's societal fringes.
Cast adrift from both authorities and their families, the youths
spend their days roaming the streets, taking drugs and searching
for some meaning in their lives.
The cast of "15" comprised real street kids -- rather than
professional actors -- adding a further layer of authenticity to
the final product. Tan used his experience in music video
production to create a film which is fast-paced and provides a
unique insight into a world few middle-class Singaporeans would
even admit exists.
The release of "15" attracted the attention of the country's strict
censors who demanded Tan remove some of the more graphic elements
in his film. Although determined to resist interference in his
work, he eventually agreed to more than 20 cuts.
Although it altered the final product, the film still clearly shows
the challenges and problems faced by a group of young people
usually ignored by the majority of Singaporeans. Tan's original
desire to display the unattractive underbelly of the country's
society was achieved.
The high-profile tussle with the censors also helped to cement
Tan's position as a creative and uncompromising film director. He
now has more than 35 awards to his name and has directed a total of
eight short and feature-length films.
"I was depressed for five or six months after the whole '15'
thing," Tan said in an interview during the months after its
release. "So I channeled my anger and frustration into another
film. If you can't solve a problem you have to laugh it off."
His response was "Cut," a short, fast-paced film that pokes fun the
Singapore censors and the attitudes they have to anything which
fails to conform to their conservative views. "Cut" became
something of a cult hit on the international film festival
circuit.
Tan's success shows how an individual's determination and
unwillingness to accept the status quo can generate big results. By
looking at subjects in a fresh and open way, he believes it's
possible to create films that provide society with an important,
alternative view of itself.
While the director's latest creation, "4:30," is very different
from the gritty and somewhat depressing "15," it also offers
insight into the human condition.
The film, which examines the relationship between an 11-year-old
Chinese boy and a Korean man, is quiet and reflective. A big hit at
the recent Singapore Film Festival, it has served to cement Tan's
position as a leading young director with an acute ability to
observe the world and translate those observations into captivating
cinema.
"To me, art that is not real is not art," Tan has often said during
his rise to international recognition. His films are evidence that
this view is more than just words, but ingrained in everything he
creates.
Tan's willingness to push the boundaries of what is considered
proper in his home country should be inspiration to other young
movie makers around the world. By holding a mirror to society,
challenges can be seen in a different way and a better future
crafted for everyone.
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http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/04/30/royston.tan/index.html