Lady E’s Wedding Revenge Plan
A young teen is resentful of her sister’s boyfriend, and determined to prevent him from stealing her sibling away. Unable to stop the natural course of events, she resorts to a desperate plan.
“When I was younger, I followed my sister wherever she went. I made this film to honour the childhood I spent with my sister, and also the times when we grew up and things changed.”
– Kathleen Bu, director
- 2020 National Youth Film Awards
Best Director Award: Kathleen Bu
Best Live Action Award: Niger Lim
Best Editing Award: Rios Antonio
Team Credits
Director: Kathleen Bu
Producer: Niger Lim
Assistant Director: Celestine Pang
Director of Photography: Nicholas Teo
Editor: Rios Antonio
Art Director: Claudia Park
Sound: Glenn Soh
The Smell of Coffee
In the wake of his grandfather’s passing, Raga accompanies his grieving grandmother. A faint yet familiar smell piques his curiosity, leading him on a journey of self-discovery in the fading apartment.
“This script came about whilst I was sitting by my grandfather’s deathbed. It explores the immediate aftermath of my grandfather’s funeral. My grandmother’s life became devoid of purpose, and this notion struck a chord with me. This film is a homage to my grandfather, and an acknowledgement of the void he left behind.”
– Nishok Nishok, director
- 9th Cinema in Sneakers Film Festival
- 5th Arthouse Asia Film Festival
- 13th International Film Festival of Larissa
- 32nd Girona Film Festival
- 25th Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS
- 34th Leeds International Film Festival
- 31st Singapore International Film Festival
- 26th Palm Springs International Short Film Festival
- 66th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen
Team Credits
Director: Nishok Nishok
Producer: Saraniyah Saravanan & Nooraini Shah Sikkander
Director of Photography: Yuzheng Lim
Editor: Nishok Nishok
Production Design: Jaya Khidir
Sound: Burtt See
Haruwal
A 62-year-old India-born Singaporean visits her late father’s home in Punjab, India, for the very first time, hoping to find closure after a lifetime in Singapore.
“My mother grew up hearing all about Haruwal, her father’s hometown, but she has never been there. I felt she needed to bring closure to this chapter of her life, so she can move on to the next. This film explores the nuances of home, belonging and identity.”
– GurJeevaan Singh Balrose, director/producer
- 24th Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
Team Credits
Director/Producer: GurJeevaan Singh Balrose
Associate Producer: Charles Maideen
Director of Photography: Jonathan Chan
Editor: Syamsul Bahari
Supervising Producer: Charles Maideen
Second Camera: Chervin Chua
Sound: Celine Ker Xiao Xuan
Color: Jonathan Chow
Pencil
Set against the backdrop of the 1990s, two classmates find their bond tested and their friendship strained under the weight of the choices they make in the face of temptation.
“This film was inspired by my childhood experience. Honour is about doing the right thing when no one is looking. Doing the right thing doesn’t always make you popular, but sometimes if it is the right thing, you’ve just got to do it.”
– Gina Tan, director
- 7th Seoul Guro International Kids Film Festival
Grand Prize
- 2018 National Youth Film Awards
Best Picture Award: Gina Tan
Best Screenplay Award: Gina Tan
- 41st Golden Harvest Awards & Short Film Festival
- 13th Bali International Short Film Festival 2019 (Minikino Film Week)
- 3rd SEAshorts Film Festival 2019 (Malacca)
Team Credits
Director: Gina Tan
Producers: Joanna Ying Ng & Kenneth Hu
Director of Photography: Cecilia Wee
Editor: Lee Jia Yun
Art Director: Adelene Wee
Music & Sound Designer: Joe Ng
Lullaby
In a typical Singaporean family of three, life is well and comfortable. Unbeknownst to them, the forgotten fourth member is feeling neglected and alone. The only comfort she finds lies in her grandson.
“Sometimes the ones closest to us are the most invisible to us. We are so busy growing up that we forget that they are growing old.”
– Stanley Xu, director
-
2nd Wutai Mountain Global Short Film Competition (China)
Best Director Award: Stanley Xu
- 36th Hawaii International Film Festival
- 18th Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival
- 16th Miami Short Film Festival
- 7th CINERAMABC International Film Festival (Brazil)
- 4th Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival (Philippines)
- 4th Kratka Forma International Short Film Festival (Serbia)
- 27th European Union Film Festival (Singapore)
- 9th Fastnet Film Festival (Ireland)
- 5th Singapore Chinese Film Festival (Singapore)
Team Credits
Director: Stanley Xu
Producer: Valerie Ong
Director of Photography: Eric Ha
Supervising Producer: Leonard Yip
Production Manager: D Naveen Raj
First Assistant Director: Eugene Lim
Art Director: Jaya Khidir
Editor: Mavis Ong
Sound Designer: Chee Yuan Jie
Builders (Kattumaanar)
An Indian migrant worker finds a wallet on the ground. Upon discovering that it belongs to a Chinese migrant worker, he becomes conflicted on whether to do what is right, or what is easy.
This is a story of two completely different people, walking the same journey.
“Honour is being able to see ourselves reflected in another human being, despite our differences. Honour is also about doing what is right, not what is easy.”
– Eysham Ali, director
- 27th Singapore International Film Festival
Team Credits
Director: Eysham Ali
Producer: Lucas Chiam
Director of Photography: Joel Heng
Editor: Janice Chua
Assistant Director: Geraldine Lee
Art Director: Lucas Chiam
Location Sound Recordist: Emmanuel Ombilod
Sound: Burtt See
Not just the destination, but the journey
Here, filmmakers unveil the inspiration behind their Honour films, and what they have learned in the process of telling these stories of honour.
FILMMAKERS’ REFLECTIONS
Some of the featured filmmakers tell us why the making of their Honour film was unforgettable for them.
“I grew up in Singapore in the 1990s, and from a very young age, my mother would always ask me three questions after school: If I had completed my homework, if I talked in class, or if I was late for school. I guess it mattered to her that I was a good student.
I thought that these were the attributes of a good student. But even going through years of Civics and Moral Education ／《好公民》did not prepare me for the moral dilemma that I was about to encounter – witnessing my best friend stealing something from the bookshop.
The universal themes of honour, morality and the conundrum of doing the right thing are portrayed in this short film. I wish to tell a story of how making the right decisions will render you unpopular and unlikable, which are situations that we as adults face all the time.
“Pencil” is a short film based on my personal experience and I hope that sharing it would evoke a thought. Then, I would feel like I have accomplished something worthwhile.”
– Gina Tan, Director, “Pencil”
“This film is inspired by my mother. As I thought about the theme of “Honouring the invisible people of Singapore”, initially I thought of migrant workers, or those in uniformed professions who protect and defend our country. But since they came to mind easily, I thought deeper and realised that the ones closest to us are the most invisible. I am grateful to Honour for giving me this opportunity to make this short film.”
– Stanley Xu, Director, “Lullaby” (right)
“Builders is a story about these individuals who have left their own homes to build ours. It is about an Indian migrant worker who finds a lost wallet with a lot of money inside, and how he grapples with doing the right thing. Because honour is about doing what is right, and not just what is easy.”
– Eysham Ali, Director, “Builders”
