The film ponders the idea of Kali Yuga, which takes its name from Sanskrit scripture and the Mahabharata, meaning “the age of vice”, a variant view from Zen Buddhism’s perspective of the end of an era, Dharma.
At its core, the film is an interdisciplinary exploration of man’s fraught relationship with nature and technology in the 21st century. The work details the distancing between human and nature, human and God(s). It also highlights corrupt powers and external forces that inform people, their actions, and the environment that surrounds them. Only in love and light will peace be realised, even without order.
The film features an original score composed by SAtheCollective and choreography by performance artist Effendy Ibrahim, as well as other local performers and dance artists as the cast.
It is available for free viewing on SCCC’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, from today 7 pm till 2 November 2021.
Here is a quick Q&A with the team behind Age of Revelation 《末。时代》
Which locations were featured in the film other than Singapore?
Japan
Can you share how the actress coped with the simulated blindness? It looked like she was 'blinded' for a long period of time during production.
They had do just cope and rely on their other senses and bodily sensitivties. It’s true that the main cast was “blinded” throughout the shoots for as long as 12 hours.
What inspired the idea of 'blinding' your actors?
So that literally, they could not “see”. Conceptually, it was to bring attention to the fact that we rely so much on our sight and popular visual culture that we have forgotten to “listen”, to ourselves, our environment, Nature.
What were the more significant technical or logistical challenges in producing this film?
Coordination of schedules and shoot locations during the Covid situation
5. The film carried many history and anthropological lessons (especially the one on the Neanderthal man). They seemed more than incidental to the film's location in the museums.
Do share your thoughts behind injecting these elements into the film?
So that audiences can be brought to a space in which is familiar yet distant. Those locations are local, in Singapore, but few may know the contexts of the works or exhibits.
There are so many collaborators in this piece. Who is the leading force in the film - is the music players, the choreographer, the actors etc
This project is driven by SAtheCollective. It was a beautiful result of pandemic limitations that didn’t allow to stage a live performance that was meant to be held at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre’s theatre. It was to involve live musicians, live dancers, and projection mapping.
The format had to be changed entirely, as the live production was rescheduled twice. We thought film was an interesting and new way for us to portray and present our music. We were also interested in exploring the synergy between the already produced music and Jiekai. Jiekai’s story was a creative interpretation of the music. Together with long discussions and ideations with our Artistic Director Andy Chia, it added another dimension, and multiple layers of meanings to the music.