Malaysia, Singapore | 2009 | 184 min | Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Tagalog, Mandarin, German Japanese, Korean, Thai, Malay, Hokkien | English subtitles | HDV
- Asian Digital Competition, Hong Kong International Film Festival 2009 (World Premiere)
- International Film Festival Rotterdam 2010 (European Premiere)
- Competition, Cinema Digital Seoul Film Festival 2009
Also titled Banjir Kemarau
“Decades from now, these movies are going to serve as some of the most authentic cinematic documents of how we actually lived in Singapore in the early 21st century. I’m impressed.” – Ng Yi-Sheng (Poet, playwright and winner of the Singapore Literature Prize 2008.)
“Flooding In The Time Of Drought chases us into a dead-end suspense that is the dreamed up nightmare of Singapore.” – Adele Tan, ARTicle
Synopsis
What if Singapore’s water supply suddenly runs dry?
This docu-narrative fusion depicts the lives of foreign immigrants as they face an impending water crisis. Amidst this drought, a cast of non-professional actors grapple with their foibles, fantasies, and broken romances.
Touching on issues as diverse as ethnic discrimination, ritual beliefs, World War II, and racial tensions in post-’97 riots Indonesia, the film explores how ingrained problems are transported along with migrant communities.
“A full-length feature with many documentary elements follows eight immigrant couples in Singapore who play scenes from their lives, often shot in their small dwellings. These immigrants are the basis of Singapore’s success, but get the hardest knocks when things go wrong. A film with an unusual length and an unusual form. It’s twice as long as a normal feature and made in two parts. It’s not a documentary, but has many elements of one. The film follows eight couples of immigrants in today’s Singapore. In this way, a lot is made clear about the political and social situation of Singapore, of which the flourishing economy is largely dependent on guest workers. Instead of interviewing the immigrants, the film maker has them play scenes from their own lives. A fiction film, but much more realistic than usual. Another fictional element in the film is the introduction of a water crisis in Singapore. It’s the immigrants who have most problems with this. For a large part, the film is set in the small dwellings where the various immigrant couples live. And also in other regards, the film maker works down to the square centimetre.” – Gertjan Zulhoif, Rotterdam
Director’s Biography
Sherman Ong is director of BETOK (HAF 2010, Hubert Bals Fund award), MEMORIES OF A BURNING TREE (Rotterdam), FLOODING IN THE TIME OF DROUGHT (Centre Pompidou Paris), HASHI (Best Script, Singapore Film Awards) and TICKETS (Venice Biennale). Winner of the 2010 ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu Photography Award, his practice centred on the human condition and our relationships with others within the larger milieu.
Technical Specifications
Country of production: Singapore, Malaysia
Running length: 184 minutes (in two parts) / COLOR
Year of production: 2009
Language: Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Tagalog, Mandarin, German, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Malay, Hokkien
Subtitles: English
Original Format: HD
Screening Format: HDCAM or Digibeta PAL
Aspect Ratio: 1:1.85
Sound: Stereo
Website: http://floodinginthetimeofdrought.blogspot.com
Crew
Director/Writer: Sherman Ong
Producer: Sunny Yong
Co-producer: Tan Bee Thiam
Cinematographer: Sharon Loh
Sound: Kent Chan
Editor: Ming An
Assistant Director: Swee Wee Keong
Art Director: Chin Kean Kok, Looi Wan Ping
Post-production Sound: Takuya Katsu
Online Editor: Fabian Tan
Camera Assistant: Looi Wan Ping
Set Photographer/Color Supervisor: Han Tan
Music: Indra Perkasa, Arief Yudhanto
Singing: Zheng Mentian
Colorist: Max Chia
Publicity Designer: Catherine Chia
Cast
DROUGHT – Agnes Christina, Nathan Boenjamin, Richel T Hidalgo, Consulta Gian Carlo, Teresa Cua, Gayatri Devi Mishra, Sanjay Gautam, Giovanni Lombardo, Sofia Lombardo
FLOOD – Xiao Jing, Pacheun Maleipan, Zheng Mengtian, Sean Lee, Shawn Kiyotaka Fukuzaki, Shin Hye Jung, Kim Yeon Jung, Rattanan Channoi, Wazini Masmintrachaiyanara
Previous Screenings
2010
International Film Festival Rotterdam (European Premiere)
Centre Pompidou Cinématheque, Paris
Barcelona Asian Film Festival
National University of Singapore Arts Festival
2009
Hong Kong International Film Festival (In Competition: Asian Digital Competition)
Cinema Digital Seoul, Korea (In Competition: International Competition)
World Film Festival Bangkok, Thailand
Cinemanila International Film Festival, Philippines
Osian’s Cinefan, New Delhi, India
Q! Film Festival Jakarta, Indonesia
Contemporary Art Centre Vilnius, Lithuania
South Australia Contemporary Art Centre, Australia
Press and International Distribution / Sales Contact
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