Singapore International Film Festival: “The 4PLY Clandestine System” Review

Directed by the emerging talent Natalie Sin, The 4PLY Clandestine System has earned its place as one of Singapore’s five standout short films at the 36th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), competing in the Southeast Asian Short Film Competition. The film’s strength lies not only in its craft but in its local soul; it re-examines…

Singapore International Film Festival: “10s Across the Borders” Review

10s Across the Borders is a pan-Asian documentary feature directed by Chan Sze-Wei, spotlighting the ballroom scene culture in Southeast Asia. Starring three pioneers Xyza Pinklady Mizrahi, Teddy Oricci, and Aurora Sun Labeija from the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand, it uncovers this fascinating subculture derived from African and Latinx communities in New York in a…

62nd Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival: “Beyond 93 Letters” Review

What is it like to request the end of your own life? Beyond 93 Letters follows the heavy-hearted journey of Ting-ying, who, after earning her PhD, is diagnosed with a brain tumour. After four years of ineffective treatments and relentless pain, she ultimately sends a plea for help to Dignitas, the Swiss organisation that provides…

62nd Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival: “The Long Departure” Review

One of the greatest pleasures, or perhaps essential rituals, at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival (TGHFF) is exploring its consistently strong shorts program, particularly the documentary section. They usually struggle to reach wider audiences outside of the festival circuit, making this showcase a rare opportunity. This year, among a blossom of Taiwanese short films,…

“Sand City” Review

Sand City (2025), Mehde Hasan’s debut feature, derives its title from the city of Dhaka: Bangladesh’s capital and a huge industrial metropolis. Directly from the opening, it becomes clear how fundamental the grainy material is to the city and its inhabitants. Sand trucks roam the streets, distributing sand from its harbour to construction sites. The…

Kenshi Yonezu: The Sonic Alchemist Bringing Anime to Life with “JANE DOE”

Kenshi Yonezu, a Japanese shape-shifting creative force, seems to treat genre and medium as gentle suggestions rather than fixed rules. From his early days as a Vocaloid producer, HACHI, to becoming one of Japan’s most influential singer-songwriters, Yonezu has built a reputation for transforming emotions and sound into cinema. And now, he has done it…