More than 40 short films from 14 Southeast Asian filmmakers will be available online on the Objectifs Film Library, which aims to be a resource for film lovers in Singapore and the region, from 23 April onwards.
Users will be able to rent some of these films to watch in the comfort of their homes, and can access a wider catalogue at Objectifs' physical premises when the centre reopens later in the year after the mitigating restrictions for the COVID-19 situation have been lifted. Offerings on the library include short films by award-winning Singapore directors Boo Junfeng and Kirsten Tan, as well as regional names like Thailand's Pimpaka Towira, the French-Cambodian filmmaker Davy Chou, and Vietnamese documentarian Nguyen Trinh Thi.
"I cut my teeth in filmmaking creating short films; they have always been a playground of experimentation for me. Beyond the festival circuit though, short films by nature have a really short shelf life," says Singaporean filmmaker Kirsten Tan. "Thus, I'm really excited to bring my entire collection of shorts, including some endearingly embarrassing early works, to Objectifs' film library, where they will be accessible for anyone interested"
Most of the films in the Objectifs Film Library are exclusive to Objectifs, and are not available on any other platform.
Objectifs hopes that the library is a step towards bringing more attention to the importance of short films as a medium for storytelling. It is working on expanding its catalogue, and is planning a film club to build a community of film buffs. The film club will organise events to highlight selected films, where filmmakers will share more about their craft, and speak about trends and issues in their work.
Objectifs hopes that the library is a step towards bringing more attention to the importance of short films as a medium for storytelling. It is working on expanding its catalogue, and is planning a film club to build a community of film buffs. The film club will organise events to highlight selected films, where filmmakers will share more about their craft, and speak about trends and issues in their work.
"The short film format is one of the most poetic and expressive forms," says Leong Puiyee, film programmes manager at Objectifs. "Objectifs has been committed to distributing short films since as far back as 2006, and the Objectifs Film Library is a continuation of our efforts to showcase short film gems from Southeast Asia and to cultivate an appreciation for the medium and stories from the region."
The first film club event in the pipeline is a conversation between Kirsten Tan and actress Oon Shu An that will revolve around Tan's short film Come (2007), a sex comedy set in Korea. Oon, who acted in Rubbers (2014), will be chatting with Tan about the challenges of making a good sex comedy. Come is currently available to stream free of charge till 30 Apr, 2359h, to celebrate the launch of the Objectifs Film Library.
Established in 2003, Objectifs is the leading art space in Singapore that champions film and photography and their value to society. Their goal is to cultivate original voices in visual storytelling, and to inspire and broaden perspectives through the power of images.
Established in 2003, Objectifs is the leading art space in Singapore that champions film and photography and their value to society. Their goal is to cultivate original voices in visual storytelling, and to inspire and broaden perspectives through the power of images.