Look at this! ;) James, one of the audience who came for the SIFF 12th April screening brought me food! But how did he know that I had lost weight over the Diminishing Memories II's production?  No matter, I thought it's such a nice gesture to remind me to 'feed myself fat fat' !:p This is soo sweet. Yup! I'll try to eat more. Haha... thanks James! ;) 

 

Also, thank you all.. for everyone else who came. Nice! ;)  

YP 

Dear all,

Thank you all who had went to the screening on 8th April at the Sinema, 21st SIFF film screening of Diminishing Memories II.  I noticed everyone stayed for the Q&A despite it was already 11pm when the film finished screening.  It was all quiet at first in the audience but I knew since you stayed, you must have something to ask or that you have an urge to want to hear more.  Hence, thank you to everyone who came for the screening despite heavy rain.  It was good to meet up face-to-face. ;)

 

I heard there were also enquiries about the purchase of Diminishing Memories (Part one) DVD after the screening.  I know some of you managed to track me down but I shall write a note here again to let those who's still searching that yup! You can place an order for the DVD directly from me.  Please drop an email to diminishingmemories@hotmail.com

 

In addition, I have also received orders for Diminishing Memories II on DVD.  Thank you for your support and interest, yes you may place an order with me first but the DVD for DMII is not available yet.  Once it is available, I'll revert. Thanks!!

 

Thank you so much, I am very touched by your responses... ;)) YP    

Hellow all, thank you so much for your support in the first screening of Diminishing Memories II at the SIFF.  I was a little suprised that everyone actually stayed for the Q&A even thought it was already 11pm when the film finished screening.  It was very sweet of you guys, thank you so much! 

 

Anyway, for those who haven't got a chance to catch DMII, here is another trailer entitled 'New Development Trailer' on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WFQncNGMyU  

 

早报副刊：《四方八面》专栏

刊登日期：09/04/08

任何一项艺术创作都是孤独的，包括电影制作。虽说电影基本上都是在讲故事，但往往在说故事的过程当中，导演或编剧想要表达的也很个人。既然要表达的需要经过思考，那么思绪更是件很私人的事了。虽然如此，在影片完成后有一项我比较期待的阶段。这个阶段有个重要而不能错过的环节，也很有趣的是一项能让我比较不感到寂寞的阶段。

　　任何影片完成后，其实也只不过是工作完成了一半。还有另一半就是影片的发行与推广。在影片的推广与宣传方面，最首要进行的往往就是让刚完成的电影到世界各地的国际电影节中参展。以比较商业化的角度来看，影片获选参展就已经代表了所制作的电影有一定的水准。若是有机会在电影节中参加竞赛的话，那么这个影片本身就可以比其他电影还要容易受到媒体的关注。再厉害的，拿个奖。再完美一点的，就是加上一些著名影评人给的看好与好评。这一切都将有助于影片稍后的商业性放映和宣传活动。对很多独立制片人来讲，他们的目的更是希望在电影节中能找到适合的发片商。甚至是有意资助他们下一部影片制作的“贵人”。既然电影节有这么多实际的“商业用途”，也难怪会有它们的存在。

　　虽然把自己的电影推广给更广大的观众是我身为制作人的责任，所以让自己的影片到世界各地去参展是理所当然的一项任务，撇开制作人的身份，我其实比较期待的却是电影节商业用途以外的人与事。因为在国际电影节中，有来自世界各地的导演和制片人。大家其实既陌生又熟悉。陌生，因为互不相识。熟悉，因为我们都有相同的热诚与梦想。都说电影制作是件寂寞的事，还有什么是能够在同一个时候、同一个地点跟来自不同的国度，和你一样在世界的另一个角落疯狂地、艰辛地编织着电影梦想的人交流还要来得热闹？这样的场合当然就是电影节了。这些人可都是和你一样寂寞的人呀！而大家也都是为了同一个理由而继续的寂寞着。一直到相遇了之后，分享了心情和制作上的种种困难，确定了在这世界上还有很多很多像你一样的人，所以就不再那么寂寞了！电影节对我来讲，就是有这么一种莫名的吸引力和魅力。

A review on Diminishing Memories II from the Nutshell Review.

For original review, please view link: http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/04/siff08-diminishing-memories-ii.html

 

Some 2 years ago, I had watched Diminishing Memories at the National Museum, and found it to be a very intriguing piece of work, in which director Eng Yee Peng shared, through film, her memories of a Lim Chu Kang rarely seen. It was a very personal piece of village life from the past which is now no longer existent in Singapore (not in the old, authentic and charming nature), and it all seemed rather distant, despite our very short modern history.

In fact, I guess almost every army boy would have travelled along that stretch of road at one point in time or another, where a narrow two lane stretch separates temporarily because of a road island. Back in the mid-90s during my tour of duty, I drove along that stretch fairly frequently (yeah I told you I led a double life, and even had double army vocations!), little would I know that some 10 years later, I now realize that the inconspicuous landmark has more significance to a filmmaker, because it served as a post marker to where her childhood home is. And without which, there would be great difficulty as she admitted, to access

This documentary is possibly the first local feature documentary sequel to have picked up where the previous had left off, and the title holds meaning. With memories, like it or not, they start to diminish into the subconscious, and get hazy with each passing day. While we can fairly recall broad moments in time thanks to anchors to connect to, the little details get lost, and probably we could jog our minds with the assistance of photographs and video from archives, without which, we can only start to imagine and fill in the gaps, and herein lies opportunity for inaccuracies to creep in.

Yee Peng returns with a more assured voice both literal and figuratively speaking, and a more mature handling of this documentary. It showed slight detachment from the subject, perhaps because this time round the whimsical nature of reminiscence, and the interviews with subjects very close to her heart (like immediate neighbours and her own parents), gave way to an exploration from the outside, of someone from the past revisiting a location of the present, where once she had spent wonderous childhood moments in, and now having its landscape changed, and becoming unrecognizable.

If you've read the newspapers, Lim Chu Kang is now an area earmarked with redevelopment plans to convert 3 parcels of land into "agri-tainment" areas, complete with resorts and spas. And Yee Peng now examines what this means to the current batch of farmers, the new inhabitants of a space she once called her own. We get to go behind the scenes into the farms, and with food undergoing intense media attention for its price hikes, one wonders if Agriculture for entertainment purposes, or the more pragmatic approach to try and expand production to ensure less reliance on imports, should be looked into instead. This documentary sets you thinking along these lines, as the director probes and discovers more about such development plans, and the predicaments faced by the current farmers such as how changes in land leases will come to affect them sooner rather than later.

There are also focused shots on the rich flora and fauna ecosystem of Lim Chu Kang that demonstrated that there's indeed a lot more to offer on that piece of land. It was also amazing to have watched this film with key members of the audience from the screening of the first film, such as Ivy Singh-Lim, who owns a bistro at Lim Chu Kang, and the elderly Indian gentleman (sorry I don't have your name!) who had once asked if Yee Peng was going to make a sequel (and it became this movie) to the original film. Like a gathering of seasoned community folks who have now come together again to experience something with one another, it's akin to just having an extremely small glimpse of the kind of kampung spirit of the past, and I am sure that kind of spirit from the previous inhabitants of Lim Chu Kang, and the current ones, are much, much stronger of course (given that they have banded together to actually petitioned for public bus services, then realizing that they could do it better, went ahead with it on their own, and proved themselves right).

I had mentioned before when I watched Diminishing Memories, that it deserved a place in our film archives for its preservation of lives that once were, or a lifestyle now almost forgotten. I shall repeat that call again, simply because Diminishing Memories II is a well made follow up and excellent companion piece, with enough merits to stand alone too. Although set in current times, it will no doubt be a gem when new and proposed development to the area spring up, and again in keeping pace with our obsession for inevitable change in the name of progress, it will serve as a reminder of what once was a rustic charm that had to give way if we're callous.

Diminishing Memories II deserved to be watched, and of course, preserved too for future generations. For those who have not had the opportunity to watch the first one, check out the Related Links below. Put together, both films have something valuable to offer, and to experience. Which brings me to ask if more of us would pay a visit to the area too!

 

Hellow everyone!

Diminishing Memories II's Trailer is now finally ready for your viewing. Go to the link below and enjoy!

 

URL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zckiO0BJt6Y