From Mee Pok Man To Ilo Ilo: Have You Seen These Singapore Movies? | On The Red Dot | 1-Hour Special

The Singaporean identity is ever-evolving, reflecting a nation's quest for pride and purpose. Films serve as a lens for self-reflection, sharing stories that define who we are and the society we live in.

12 Storeys explores loneliness, alienation, and societal pressures within an HDB block, while Mee Pok Man depicts a hawker's unfulfilled love, symbolising the struggles of those overlooked by progress. Money No Enough and I Not Stupid offer humorous yet poignant insights into societal issues, from financial struggles, societal expectations to the education system’s impact on students and families. Ilo Ilo captures the bond between a family and their domestic helper during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. A Yellow Bird delves into loss and tradition, while Sayang Disayang celebrates the connection between a caregiver and her elderly charge.

These diverse films capture the essence of Singaporean life, providing a deeper understanding of who we are as a nation.

00:00 Opening title
00:09 Most iconic Singaporean films?
01:13 How Singaporean movies shape our culture
02:16 What happened to Singapore's once-illustrious film industry?
05:52 Eric Khoo revisits the set of MEE POK MAN (1995)
07:30 Lim Kay Tong surprises Eric Khoo mid-interview
10:06 How film ratings influenced movies
11:22 12 STOREYS (1997) and HDB living
13:00 Fighting for the PG rating
14:19 How Jack Neo joined 12 STOREYS
15:00 Lum May Yee had never acted before 12 STOREYS
17:37 Singaporean cinema became more accessible
18:17 MONEY NO ENOUGH (1998) and the Asian Financial Crisis
19:30 Jack Neo on MONEY NO ENOUGH's poor production value
20:26 How the film got away with 95% dialect
21:30 MONEY NO ENOUGH 2 (2008) criticised by then-Prime Minister
23:05 What inspired Jack Neo's I NOT STUPID (2002)
26:08 Discussions around foreign domestic workers
29:10 Directors speak on ILO ILO (2013) and SAYANG DISAYANG (2013)
31:35 Lack of respectful racial representation in Singapore films
33:18 Universal story in K Rajagopal's A YELLOW BIRD (2016)
35:12 Inspiration behind A YELLOW BIRD (2016)
36:33 One-room flats show a different side of Singapore
39:19 Telling Singapore stories
40:24 Nostalgia and WONDERLAND (2023)
43:28 What is uniquely Singaporean
44:43 Why we must keep making Singapore movies

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About On The Red Dot: CNA's weekly programme documents the stories of ordinary Singaporeans and celebrates their resilience, identity and sense of belonging.
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