The Mandarin and Hokkien language film picked up the Local Jury Award at this year’s festival.
Singapore film Wonderland has picked up the Local Jury Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. It was up against three other films. The festival runs until Sunday (Jan 14).
The Local Jury Award is presented to the film that best promotes understanding and acceptance between people.
The Mandarin and Hokkien language film features an all-Singaporean cast. It tells the story of single father Loke (played by Mark Lee) and his relationships with his daughter Eileen (Xenia Tan) and his new neighbour Tan (Peter Yu). Loke lies to Eileen, telling her that he can afford her overseas education and convinces her to go to New York City. He then moves into a one-room flat to save money. There, he befriends Tan, whom he comes to rely on to read and write letters to Eileen. Tragedy strikes when Tan receives bad news about Eileen and, unable to tell Loke the truth, he fabricates a lie.
The film, which is set in the 1980s, also stars Janice Seah and Rajeswary Nadarajan.
Wonderland is directed by Chai Yee Wei and produced by Mocha Chai Laboratories, a development house founded in 2012 by Chai and industry veteran Michelle Chang.
Said Chang, 50: “Winning the Local Jury Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is totally unexpected, as we are talking about an independent, non-English, Hokkien-dialect film from tiny Singapore, moving the hearts and minds of Palm Springs residents.
“This win is proof that as long as you believe in something, work hard at it, and never let go of your passion, the world will conspire to reward you for it.”
This is Chang’s first screenplay, and she co-wrote it with her husband Chance Wanlass.
She told CNA: “Making this movie is so special for me on so many levels … I hope our wins for the film inspire all dreamers out there to never let go of their passion, no matter what age they are.”
Said Chai, the director: “Wonderland winning the local jury award in Palm Springs speaks volume about the way the subject matter touches people from all walks of life, regardless of where you are from. It is super encouraging for a film that is shamelessly Singaporean to touch people from all walks of life. To be able to direct something like this is an opportunity that doesn’t come very often. Kudos to all the Singaporean team members.”
The inspiration for the film came from an incident the director encountered when he was studying in the United States – a fellow Singaporean student had died unexpectedly, which made him think about the loss from the perspective of a new parent.
“I’ve always wanted to explore a story about the relationship between a father and a daughter, and this film very much does so. I’ve been wanting to tell this story for over 20 years, but I’ve had difficulties because it is a heavy topic,” said Chai in a previous interview with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
In the same interview, Chang added: “The father-daughter relationship of the story is a beautiful aspect that we’ve been able to capture, but there’s also the other aspect of it, which is the story of two men in their silver years forming a beautiful friendship. It was important for us to tell this story in an Asian context.”
Chai’s previous works include That Girl In Pinafore and Mr Midnight: Beware The Monsters.
Wonderland had its world premiere in November at the 24th San Diego Asian Film Festival as part of the event’s Asia Pop! section. It won the Best Audience Award.
The film had its Asian premiere at the Singapore International Film Festival in early December.
Lee next stars in Money No Enough 3 alongside Henry Thia and Jack Neo.