Raintree Pictures' latest project stars Joan Chen in S'pore-Australia film
SINGAPORE : "The Home Song Stories" is MediaCorp Raintree Pictures' latest film, and one of its most international to date.
Starring international artiste Joan Chen and local star Qi Yu Wu, the film is also the first Singapore-Australia collaboration.
It was the year 1964, a glamorous nightclub singer in Shanghai, played by Joan Chen, met an Australian sailor.
They migrated to Australia.
But it was a short-lived marriage, and she ended up working in Chinese restaurants.
The story was told through her son, who also happens to be the director Tony Ayres himself, reliving the story and painting the lives of Chinese in a foreign land.
"I've always felt that it was a big emotional story, with ups and downs. For me, (this story) was important. And I guess being able to work with companies like MediaCorp Raintree, having co-productions between countries is a way of facilitating that, because it's pretty hard to tell their stories as it's a small marketplace. Films have to succeed internationally, so having an international component is very significant for us," said Ayres, director/writer of "The Home Song Stories".
The movie comes at a time when Singapore and Australia are due to sign a Film Co-production Agreement at the APEC Ministers Meeting in Sydney next month, paving the way for more cultural and creative exchange between the two countries.
Also in the film is Singapore star Qi Yu Wu, who plays Chen's lover.
Raintree said it's a film that's international while at the same time "Uniquely Singapore."
"It's a film with various languages. It has English, Shanghainese, Cantonese, Mandarin, good English, bad English, so it's very real life, Singapore. And I think it makes our collaboration with Australia that much more meaningful because you're looking at a country that uses English as a first language, but it's about the Chinese trying to make it in a predominantly English speaking country," said Daniel Yun, Executive Producer of "The Home Song Stories" and MD of MediaCorp Raintree Pictures.
"The Home Song Stories" opens on September 6.
It's also part of the official selection at the Berlin Film Festival. - CNA /ls
MediaCorp Raintree Pictures' "Home Song Stories" premieres in S'pore
SINGAPORE : MediaCorp Raintree Picture's latest movie "The Home Song Stories" is creating quite a buzz down under.
Over the weekend, movie goers in Australia got a sneak preview of the co-production between Singapore and Australia.
And so far, it has been well received.
The screenplay has even won the New South Wales Premier's Literary Award.
Some lucky movie buffs also got their chance to see leading lady Joan Chen on the big screen when the movie premiered in Singapore on Wednesday evening.
Chen stars as a glamorous nightclub singer who married an Australian sailor, but later falls in love with another man played by Singapore actor Qi Yu Wu.
The movie opens on Thursday in Australia and will be released in Singapore on September 6.
This first Singapore-Australian co-production is a milestone for MediaCorp's Raintree Pictures as it paves the way for more international collaborations.
MediaCorp's CEO Lucas Chow says: "It signals that there will be more international slate of films coming out from Raintree Pictures. Following up from 'Home Song Stories', we have the 'Tattooist' which is also the first co-production between Singapore and New Zealand. That will be coming out very shortly."
"I can announce that the two governments - Singapore and Australia governments - are about to conclude a film co-production agreement and that will pave the way for a whole lot more joint Singapore-Australian movies," says High Commissioner Miles Kupa, Australian High Commission. - CNA /ls
715 relli getting alotta screen time
"Home Song Stories" reaches out to arts community
SINGAPORE : It's a movie based on a love story that spanned two cultures and two countries.
And now, "The Home Song Stories"' appeal is shaping up among those in the arts community.
This, by word of mouth, even before its commercial run begins.
The film, which stars internationally-acclaimed actress Joan Chen and Singapore actor Qi Yu Wu, is also being marketed with a twist.
"The Home Song Stories" is being touted as a very personal and powerful experience by its distributors.
And in an unusual move, the bulk of the advertising budget has been splashed on free screenings for those in the arts community here in Singapore.
Out of the 2,000 invited, half were from the arts fraternity.
"The art gallery, art owners and people who are collectors, they are more sensitive and can appreciate the finer things in life. So when they talk to their friends about it, it'll be very credible, very strong and very powerful," said Serene Quek, business development officer of Scorpio East Pictures.
An art gallery owner said reactions from customers have been positive to their in-house advertising for the film.
"We've had enquires from people just walking through the gallery and asking for our connection with the film. But we were very lucky to have a preview of the film for our client base, so we filled the cinema up back in July," said Chris Churcher, owner of Red Sea Gallery.
MediaCorp Raintree Picture's latest movie opens in cinemas only on September 6.
But the screenplay for "The Home Song Stories" has already won the New South Wales Premier's Literary Award.
The movie is part of the official selection at this year's Berlin Film Festival. - CNA /ls
The Home Song Stories made its debut at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year, and I've waited a long time for it to come to our shores. A joint Singapore-Australian production, it's an autobiographical story of writer-director Tony Ayres' childhood, of what he remembers about his mother, a songstress who uprooted her children and migrated from Hong Kong to Australia, and their struggles to etch a living surviving in a strange land.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2007/09/home-song-stories.html
Channel NewsAsia - Thursday, October 25
"The Home Song Stories" gets 14 nominations at AustraliaÂ’s AFI Awards
SINGAPORE: "The Home Song Stories" an epic tale about love, secrets and betrayal continues to create buzz in Australia.
The MediaCorp Raintree Pictures movie has received 14 nominations at the 2007 Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards.
MediaCorp actor, Qi Yuwu, has garnered a nomination for his first international film a high point of his 8—year acting career.
He will be vying for the Best Lead Actor award with well—established actors such as Eric Bana.
The actor said working on "The Home Song Stories" has opened his eyes to new opportunities and has inspired him to hone his craft.
Qi said: "Whether I win or not, I hope more filmmakers will notice me through this nomination because at the end of the day, when you talk to them, you have to show them something. If they have watched this movie, they could see my acting skills and the kind of roles I could take."
Co—star Joan Chen, who took on the role of a glamorous Shanghai nightclub singer in the film, has been nominated in the Best Lead Actress category.
Joel Lok and Irene Chen, who played her children in the movie, also received nominations in the Young Actor and Best Supporting Actress categories.
Furthermore, the film is up for the Best Director and Best Film awards.
Winners will be announced at the AFI Awards ceremony in Melbourne on 5 and 6 December.
"The Home Song Stories" is the first Singapore—Australian co—production. Its screenplay has already won the New South Wales Premier’s Literary Award. — CNA/so
Please watch this. It's really good.