Film fans flock to Penang for short-film festival

This weekend Tropfest Southeast Asia – a festival of short film – kicks off in Penang. Here’s a preview of what’s on

By Daniel Riley
Last year’s inaugural TropFest Southeast Asia, the newest edition of the world’s largest short film festival, witnessed two Cambodian filmmakers stood proudly on top of the winner’s podium.

Sothea Ines and compatriot Polen Ly, with their films “Rice” and “Duetto”, collected first and second prize respectively in the Penang state capital of George Town. But can the Kingdom repeat their success, and give rise to notions of a new Golden Era of cinema?
12 months on and Cambodia is well represented back in Penang, with five directors amongst the 16 finalists chosen out of 115 submissions from eight regional nations. Filipinos also number five in the shortlist, along with four Malaysians and one each from Singapore and Vietnam, all vying for the prestigious trophy and an accompanying cash prize of $12,000.
The Cambodian contingency features a second run at the title for Polen Ly. His 2015 entry, “Colourful Knots”, will be projected onto the big screen at the Padang Esplanade on Sunday evening alongside Sokyou Chea’s “The Ride”, Sothea Chhin’s “The Passenger”, Hang Sokharo’s “Bubble” and Somchanrith Chap’s “A Fistful of Pebbles.
The Philippines offers up Jennifer Romano’s “To Someplace”, Sher Bautista’s “Commune”, Jake Soriano’s “The Steel Child”, Inshallah Montero’s “The Little Reader” and Vanessa Amante’s “Kat’s Diary”; hosts Malaysia will hoping on Joyce Huan and Nicole Goh’s “Emma’s Birthday”, Shu Kar Keng’s “Tank”, Caston J Chua’s “All That Could Have Been” and Tan Yong Lin’s “Wheel Rolling Home”; Singapore boast Pek Hong Kun’s “Bond” and Vietnam have Phan Nha Trang’s “Lily”.
The live judges panel, who will decide the top 3 on Sunday night, is comprised of esteemed cast of international film industry members and includes two award winning celebrities from either side of the camera – Sullivan Stapleton and Christoper Doyle.
Australian actor Stapleton is touted as one of Hollywood’s next leading men, having taken the title role of Themistocles in the film “300: Rise of an Empire” as well as numerous critically acclaimed performances in independent Australian flicks.
Australian-born, Hong Kong-based cinematographer Doyle, also known by his Chinese moniker Du Ke Feng, has collaborated with some of the world’s top directors including Wong Kar-wai, M. Night Shyamalan and Gus Van Sant. Read a lively interview with him here
Submissions must include, in some way, the Tropfest Signature Item (TSI), which changes each year. 2014’s TSI was ‘Rice’, while this year’s selected item is ‘Wheel’.
As well as the cash prize, sponsored by the philanthropic foundation Yayasan Sime Darby, the winner will go on a film industry immersion trip to Los Angeles, courtesy of the Motion Picture Association.
“Tropfest is dedicated to providing a platform for those stories than might otherwise be left untold,” said Tropfest SEA Managing Director Joe Sidek.
“It’s an honour to have so many talented directors entering Tropfest SEA, and it’s a true privilege to be building this stepping stone to the filmmakers of tomorrow.”
TropFest was launched at the The Tropicana Cafe in Sydney back in 1993,but has since spread across the globe to establish itself as the leading platform for short films. All films must not exceed a running time of seven minutes and have their world premieres at TropFest.
Keep reading:
“The reluctant judge” – Cinematographer Christopher Doyle has worked on films such as In the Mood for Love and The Quiet American, and this month he will adjudicate at Tropfest Southeast Asia. Here, he discusses collaboration, how new technology is revolutionising the industry and why he doesn’t watch films