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Stay Home Shorts: Project 2020 Showcase

Films will be available from Fri, 30 Oct 2020, 8pm (SGT) until Sun, 8 Nov 2020, 11.59pm (SGT)
SAM’s Facebook and YouTube Channels
Free to view online for a limited period
Parental guidance is advised

Singapore Art Museum presents Stay Home Shorts, an online short film series featuring local and international short films. Stay Home Shorts: Project 2020 Showcase premieres 20 films from the open call made during the National Day weekend in August 2020. Depicting ideas of “Home in Singapore 2020”, the films incorporate surprise elements derived from artworks displayed in the museum’s exhibition, The Learning Gallery:

"No More Tears” from Jason Wee’s Self-Portrait (No More Tears, Mr. Lee), 2009
"Camouflage” and “Old is Gold” from Jing Quek’s Singapore Idols – Army Boys and Aunties and Uncles, 2006
“Tender Colour Palette” from Nguan’s Untitled works from the Singapore series, 2011–2013

Watch on SAM's Facebook and YouTube channels from 8pm onwards on Friday, 30 October 2020 till 11.59pm on Sunday, 8 November 2020.

Banner image: Nuances of Everyday Life (film still); image courtesy of Joey Soh Pei Ling

film synopses

In order of screening	Synopses
1	*Past, Present, Future* By Jarren Lau Zong Xian Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 48 sec Past, Present, Future attempts to capture the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, where we found ourselves spending most of our time at home. Staged in his home, the film centres upon the filmmaker’s memories in an attempt to understand what it truly means to call a place "home" – whether a physical place, a country, or a group of people.
2	*Nuances of Everyday Life* By Joey Soh Pei Ling Singapore \| No dialogue \| 2020 \| 2 min 38 sec Nuances of Everyday Life is a reflection on being present, and especially so during Singapore’s Circuit Breaker. Watching the sights from her window, the protagonist finds herself awed by things she would not have otherwise noticed, such as nature taking the opportunity to reinvigorate. The importance of recognising small seemingly ordinary victories and challenges becomes a poignant lesson in honouring the little experiences in everyday life.
3	Home Tunes By Jacinta Yee Li Ting Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 2 sec Home Tunes is the filmmaker’s exploration of the various sounds of her home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking on the role of a passive listener, she recorded the activities that centred upon interactions between the family members in her household.
4	Spotting By Lynette Quek Singapore \| In English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 59 sec Spotting is a reflection on sightings from the filmmaker’s balcony – a microcosm of different lives and experiences that exist within a community, an estate, and homes. We often overlook and take for granted the daily moments in our lives. However, it is only during challenging times when we find ourselves in situations of uncertainty, that these commonplace, familiar activities, and experiences shift to the foreground, becoming noticeable as we contemplate our surroundings in a new light.
5	Sounds of Singapore By Zhen Qi Teo Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 42 sec In Sounds of Singapore, the filmmaker witnesses the events happening in Singapore upon her return to the country. Most of the scenes in the film were captured on 9^th August 2020, Singapore’s National Day.
6	Circuit Breaker Breaker By Ezekiel Ho Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 46 sec A film student navigates the drought of inspiration while staying at home during Singapore’s Circuit Breaker measures during the pandemic. As the second phase of the Circuit Breaker begins, he finally steps out of his home to be surrounded by Singapore’s scenery and discovers the newfound source of inspiration for his film project.
7	No Longer The Same (不⼀樣 ) By Zachary Yap Singapore \| Mandarin with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 54 sec Languishing at home, a bored Gim decides to do something special this National Day.
8	Pandemic Life Simulator By Isha Wang, Audrey Yong, Bob Shi, and Carmine Lee Singapore \| No dialogue with English intertitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 59 sec Pandemic Life Simulator is an allegory on the condition of being confined at home during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Reflecting upon how video games facilitate escapism, the film transforms the limited daily routines of working from home into fun and exciting experiences, connecting the protagonists with the outside world through their laptop screens.
9	8 O’clock By Marcellinus Jerricho Singapore \| English with intertitles \| 2020 \| 3 min Jerricho has been unable to visit his family in Indonesia and meet his friends due to Singapore’s Circuit Breaker measures against the pandemic. Keeping busy with online courses and schoolwork to hide his loneliness, fears, and anxieties, he finds comfort and support in a simple phone call with his family. The film invites us to reflect on how it is the exchanges with loved ones that turn any place into home.
10	Solace By Cheah Tu Trixie, Ambrea Tan, Yalenchka Alya Putri, and Sarah Atiqah Binti Kamaruddin Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 3 min A 13-year-old girl becomes withdrawn, anxious and unhappy under the pressure to be popular on social media and also do well at school. Her friends start to notice her troubled disposition and irregular eating habits. Stepping in, they help her to recognise the need to change her lifestyle and mindset, and get her life back on track.
11	Darling You Can Count On Me By Xie Shangyi and Joel Tan Kian An Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 3 min Conflicts and tensions arise in a three-generation household where the grandparents and parents hold different perspectives on how to raise the young. Despite their disagreements, they all strive to give their best to the children, ultimately singing the same song.
12	Finding Singapore By Deborah Faye Lee Singapore and Australia \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 42 sec Finding Singapore tells of a woman's search for her idea of Singapore as she tries to make meaning of the notion of home, whilst living thousands of kilometres away.
13	Where Are You, Singapore? By Bjorn Lee Varella Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 50 sec Framed through the symbols and colours of the country’s flag, Where Are You, Singapore? is a meditation on ideas of Singaporean-ness and home that are overlooked in everyday life. It offers an introspective look at how one's relationship to country can be akin to a relationship with a loved one, an ever-changing journey with ups and downs.
14	Coast (岸) By Zachary Yap Singapore \| No dialogue \| 2020 \| 1 min 50 sec “As the waves come crashing, who’s going to clear the mess we've made?” Coast (岸) invites the audience to consider the effect of human acts on the environment as it reflects on the debris carried by the ebb and flow of waves.
15	Volunteer By Teo Chor Howe Singapore \| English and Mandarin with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 3 min Volunteer documents the filmmaker’s routine volunteering efforts delivering meals to homebound elderly or individuals with disabilities. It chronicles a typical volunteering route across numerous housing estates in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Shunfu and Sin Ming, depicting the sights, sounds and social interactions between friends and neighbours. Through the film’s intimacy, home is presented as the emotional and psychological connections we make with people and our environment.
16	Old is Gold By Tan Xin Yi Singapore \| Mandarin with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 59 sec Embodying the proverb “old is good,” the filmmaker’s grandparents take the spotlight as they live life to the fullest in this short film. They fill their days up with hobbies and responsibilities, keeping active and independent during the COVID-19 outbreak.
17	tiān (天) By Joan Lim Singapore \| No dialogue \| 2020 \| 2 min 32 sec tiān (天) , the Chinese noun for the sky and day, depicts a single day in Singapore. Filmed from dawn to dusk, the film captures the skyscrapers and high-rise apartments that fill the city’s skies, reflecting the nature, beauty and ambitions of the tiny island. The film is a montage of ordinary, everyday scenes in Singapore in tones of blue and pink.
18	Don’t miss the fireworks tonight By Grace Song and Alexander Lee Sze Wei Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 28 sec Inspired by true events, Don’t miss the fireworks tonight focuses on moments before, during, and after Singapore’s most anticipated event every National Day – the fireworks display. A mother at work, unable to catch the fireworks, reminds her daughter to record the event. Instead, her daughter films the preparations and activities surrounding the fireworks display: the military personnel on duty sneaking peeks at the event, and the busy road – the gathering of a community. These unexpected and heartwarming views offer a glimpse into Singapore as home.
19	Bear With Me By Deepesh Vasudev Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 58 sec This whimsical film explores what it means to care for others during this challenging time faced by our nation, an especially poignant reflection during the National Day weekend. Told through the eyes of children, Bear With Me is a touching story of being caring and compassionate to all, even soft toys!
20	Merlion and Chill! By Joel Tan Kian An Singapore\| English with subtitles \| 2020 \| 3 min Unable to travel due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, a young couple tires of their sedentary lifestyle and decides to go on a “holiday” in their home country. They go on a hunt for the six statues of Singapore national symbol – The Merlion – around the island.

In order of screening	Synopses
1	*Past, Present, Future* By Jarren Lau Zong Xian Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 48 sec Past, Present, Future attempts to capture the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, where we found ourselves spending most of our time at home. Staged in his home, the film centres upon the filmmaker’s memories in an attempt to understand what it truly means to call a place "home" – whether a physical place, a country, or a group of people.
2	*Nuances of Everyday Life* By Joey Soh Pei Ling Singapore \| No dialogue \| 2020 \| 2 min 38 sec Nuances of Everyday Life is a reflection on being present, and especially so during Singapore’s Circuit Breaker. Watching the sights from her window, the protagonist finds herself awed by things she would not have otherwise noticed, such as nature taking the opportunity to reinvigorate. The importance of recognising small seemingly ordinary victories and challenges becomes a poignant lesson in honouring the little experiences in everyday life.
3	Home Tunes By Jacinta Yee Li Ting Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 2 sec Home Tunes is the filmmaker’s exploration of the various sounds of her home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking on the role of a passive listener, she recorded the activities that centred upon interactions between the family members in her household.
4	Spotting By Lynette Quek Singapore \| In English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 59 sec Spotting is a reflection on sightings from the filmmaker’s balcony – a microcosm of different lives and experiences that exist within a community, an estate, and homes. We often overlook and take for granted the daily moments in our lives. However, it is only during challenging times when we find ourselves in situations of uncertainty, that these commonplace, familiar activities, and experiences shift to the foreground, becoming noticeable as we contemplate our surroundings in a new light.
5	Sounds of Singapore By Zhen Qi Teo Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 42 sec In Sounds of Singapore, the filmmaker witnesses the events happening in Singapore upon her return to the country. Most of the scenes in the film were captured on 9^th August 2020, Singapore’s National Day.
6	Circuit Breaker Breaker By Ezekiel Ho Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 46 sec A film student navigates the drought of inspiration while staying at home during Singapore’s Circuit Breaker measures during the pandemic. As the second phase of the Circuit Breaker begins, he finally steps out of his home to be surrounded by Singapore’s scenery and discovers the newfound source of inspiration for his film project.
7	No Longer The Same (不⼀樣 ) By Zachary Yap Singapore \| Mandarin with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 54 sec Languishing at home, a bored Gim decides to do something special this National Day.
8	Pandemic Life Simulator By Isha Wang, Audrey Yong, Bob Shi, and Carmine Lee Singapore \| No dialogue with English intertitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 59 sec Pandemic Life Simulator is an allegory on the condition of being confined at home during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Reflecting upon how video games facilitate escapism, the film transforms the limited daily routines of working from home into fun and exciting experiences, connecting the protagonists with the outside world through their laptop screens.
9	8 O’clock By Marcellinus Jerricho Singapore \| English with intertitles \| 2020 \| 3 min Jerricho has been unable to visit his family in Indonesia and meet his friends due to Singapore’s Circuit Breaker measures against the pandemic. Keeping busy with online courses and schoolwork to hide his loneliness, fears, and anxieties, he finds comfort and support in a simple phone call with his family. The film invites us to reflect on how it is the exchanges with loved ones that turn any place into home.
10	Solace By Cheah Tu Trixie, Ambrea Tan, Yalenchka Alya Putri, and Sarah Atiqah Binti Kamaruddin Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 3 min A 13-year-old girl becomes withdrawn, anxious and unhappy under the pressure to be popular on social media and also do well at school. Her friends start to notice her troubled disposition and irregular eating habits. Stepping in, they help her to recognise the need to change her lifestyle and mindset, and get her life back on track.
11	Darling You Can Count On Me By Xie Shangyi and Joel Tan Kian An Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 3 min Conflicts and tensions arise in a three-generation household where the grandparents and parents hold different perspectives on how to raise the young. Despite their disagreements, they all strive to give their best to the children, ultimately singing the same song.
12	Finding Singapore By Deborah Faye Lee Singapore and Australia \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 42 sec Finding Singapore tells of a woman's search for her idea of Singapore as she tries to make meaning of the notion of home, whilst living thousands of kilometres away.
13	Where Are You, Singapore? By Bjorn Lee Varella Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 50 sec Framed through the symbols and colours of the country’s flag, Where Are You, Singapore? is a meditation on ideas of Singaporean-ness and home that are overlooked in everyday life. It offers an introspective look at how one's relationship to country can be akin to a relationship with a loved one, an ever-changing journey with ups and downs.
14	Coast (岸) By Zachary Yap Singapore \| No dialogue \| 2020 \| 1 min 50 sec “As the waves come crashing, who’s going to clear the mess we've made?” Coast (岸) invites the audience to consider the effect of human acts on the environment as it reflects on the debris carried by the ebb and flow of waves.
15	Volunteer By Teo Chor Howe Singapore \| English and Mandarin with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 3 min Volunteer documents the filmmaker’s routine volunteering efforts delivering meals to homebound elderly or individuals with disabilities. It chronicles a typical volunteering route across numerous housing estates in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Shunfu and Sin Ming, depicting the sights, sounds and social interactions between friends and neighbours. Through the film’s intimacy, home is presented as the emotional and psychological connections we make with people and our environment.
16	Old is Gold By Tan Xin Yi Singapore \| Mandarin with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 59 sec Embodying the proverb “old is good,” the filmmaker’s grandparents take the spotlight as they live life to the fullest in this short film. They fill their days up with hobbies and responsibilities, keeping active and independent during the COVID-19 outbreak.
17	tiān (天) By Joan Lim Singapore \| No dialogue \| 2020 \| 2 min 32 sec tiān (天) , the Chinese noun for the sky and day, depicts a single day in Singapore. Filmed from dawn to dusk, the film captures the skyscrapers and high-rise apartments that fill the city’s skies, reflecting the nature, beauty and ambitions of the tiny island. The film is a montage of ordinary, everyday scenes in Singapore in tones of blue and pink.
18	Don’t miss the fireworks tonight By Grace Song and Alexander Lee Sze Wei Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 28 sec Inspired by true events, Don’t miss the fireworks tonight focuses on moments before, during, and after Singapore’s most anticipated event every National Day – the fireworks display. A mother at work, unable to catch the fireworks, reminds her daughter to record the event. Instead, her daughter films the preparations and activities surrounding the fireworks display: the military personnel on duty sneaking peeks at the event, and the busy road – the gathering of a community. These unexpected and heartwarming views offer a glimpse into Singapore as home.
19	Bear With Me By Deepesh Vasudev Singapore \| English with English subtitles \| 2020 \| 2 min 58 sec This whimsical film explores what it means to care for others during this challenging time faced by our nation, an especially poignant reflection during the National Day weekend. Told through the eyes of children, Bear With Me is a touching story of being caring and compassionate to all, even soft toys!
20	Merlion and Chill! By Joel Tan Kian An Singapore\| English with subtitles \| 2020 \| 3 min Unable to travel due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, a young couple tires of their sedentary lifestyle and decides to go on a “holiday” in their home country. They go on a hunt for the six statues of Singapore national symbol – The Merlion – around the island.

Stay Home Shorts: Project 2020 Showcase

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